Reg. 6 and 10 synthetic tracks almost complete for 2020
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, December 5, 2019
Completion of the two new synthetic tracks in Region 6 (East Berbice Corentyne) and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) is on the horizon.
Minister of Social Cohesion, the Hon. Dr. George Norton gave the assurance in an exclusive DPI interview on Thursday.
“We are certain that before the end of this year we will reach a stage of the laying of asphalt so come 2020 it would only need the accommodation of the synthetic materials and the laying of it (synthetic material) and of course other infrastructure surrounding those tracks.
Then we will have our third synthetic track for athletics in Guyana,” he explained.
Dr. Norton said this would boost local athletes’ preparation for the 2021 Junior CARIFTA Games, which Guyana will host for the first time.
The minister believes that such initiatives are necessary to develop and strengthen sports and sports-related services in order for Guyana to assume its “rightful place” in sport regionally.
“I will never feel satisfied or contented bearing in mind that for 50 years Guyana only has one Olympic medal that being a bronze in boxing. We have to do much better at that, we have a lot of catching up to do and we need to be prepared to do the work.
“We are working with the associations, different sporting fraternities and we do wish to contribute more than what we are doing at this time, but we will get there,” Dr. Norton vowed.
Region 10 will have an eight-lane synthetic track and field facility which will include a football pitch, security fencing, drainage and restroom among other features. Region 6 will also get an eight-lane 400-metre track.
BK International Incorporated was awarded the $141Million contract for the Region 6 track, to be built at Burnham Park, in New Amsterdam, Berbice. Meanwhile, Builders Hardware and General Supplies secured the $179Million contract for the facility at Bayroc Community Centre Ground, Wismar, Linden.