Dear Editor,
Minister Ramson and his team need to answer about the 2021 promised redesigned multi-purpose facility for Cornelia Ida Cricket Club Ground. VP Jagdeo needs to set up a Commission of Inquiry (COI) ASAP to investigate Region 3 Community Ground enhancement programmes. It has been over 3 years now since ground enhancement programmes started in Region 3 and still most of the grounds are not in playing condition. Cornelia Ida Cricket Club (CICC) ground enhancement started since August 2021, and still this ground is not in playing condition – the Cricket Pavilion is not finished, there is no toilet facility or water for spectators.
When the enhancement project started in 2021, CICC ground was fenced with zinc, all were removed and currently the ground is without fence. Minister Ramson needs to say when the fence will be constructed. The pavilion was built and the contractor forgot to include the roof for spectators (photo attached). Can someone tell us how this design was approved by the Minister of Sport, the REO and his engineers at Region 3? Editor, there are too many incompetent individuals that are corrupted and who are not being held accountable by the RDC & NDC offices in region 3.
CICC was one of the best clubs in WCD, that played all their games away from home and their record will prove with all the finals they won in the last 5 years. It is also one of the clubs that continue to produce national players for both under-19 and the senior team. The just concluded Senior Inter-County 50 -Over Tournament had 6 CICC players. We, the Citizen of Guyana, continue to hear about the millions of dollars being spent on sport and community grounds around the country for enhancement/renovation but there is no record on the Minister’s web page to show the grounds where those money were spent. With all the technology available you would think the minster and his team will use some database management software to provide information to citizens reflecting the millions being spent each year.
We need VP Jagdeo’s help at Cornelia Ida ASAP to get CICC ground back to the glory days of the 80’s when Babu Sankar and the Seeram brothers were leaders of West Demerara cricket. Mr. Ramson and team that included RDC & NDC need to do better and get better soon before “Better Must Come” team invade Cornelia IDA. Here is what Sport Minister Ramson told a gathering in March 2021: “… the community ground at Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara, is set to undergo a massive redesign that will transform it into a multi-purpose facility that is similar to a ‘mini national park structure’” We wondered if the asphalt track that was built around the ground with lights and the few kids play structure is what the minster considered a multi purpose facility? You would think there will be basketball, lawn tennis or volleyball courts with toilet facilities with cleaners.
Sincerely,
R. Persaud
