Georgetown: The Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport had an exceptionally successful year in 2013, and will continue its endeavours to ensure the country’s cultural heritage is preserved and there are adequate sport and youth development programmes for the involvement of all.
Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony highlighted some of the major initiatives that are expected to be executed in 2014.
YEST
There has been great success in the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training (YEST) programme that targets young people in technical and vocational skill areas at the residential Kuru Kuru Training Centre and the non-residential Sophia Training Centre and the Smythfield Drop-in Centre at Vryman’s Erven.
Minister Anthony revealed that there will be major developments at the KKTC in 2014, one of which will be to expand the facility to accommodate more students.
NOC
Minister Anthony said that the ministry will also be working to improve the New Opportunity Corps (NOC), an institution that provides full-time training for youths in a correctional setting.
“We have recognised that some of the students at the facility do not need to be there. These are children who have had broken homes and really it’s more of a social problem that we have to deal with, nevertheless they end up at NOC and we have to work with them… There is another category of children who are delinquent and so when they come all of them are together and certain challenges arise,” Minister Anthony added.
The Minister stated that the ministry has been examining this issue towards resolving it.
As it relates to the fire which occurred during 2012, Minister Anthony said that the reports are in the process of being finalised and once completed, the ministry will be working on the recommendations from the findings.
Cultural revitalisation
This year, the ministry will be embarking on a massive programme to preserve the country’s rich history, through the conservation of historical sites and monuments across the country.
The Ministry in collaboration with the Guyana National Trust will be placing markers in all the villages on the East Coast Demerara where the 1823 uprising impacted so that persons who are living in those villages will be aware of their history, and will have a sense of appreciation.
“We have done some research, and are now ready to place these markers within the next month or two,” Minister Anthony said. The ministry will also be engaging a number of persons to assist in the maintenance of those sites
Berbice is one of the most promising areas, not only in Guyana, but South America in terms of archaeology.
Minister Anthony said that there are requests from different universities to research the area. “We have already demarcated the area where we feel that ancient civilisation would have been located, and we have done some preliminary maps,” he said.
The ministry will also be putting some rules in place, so that persons who want to conduct research will have to first consult the Ministry, and if there are any archeological findings, locals must be involved.
In addition, the Ministry will also be working with several institutions and signing some MOUs for joint research.
NCC upgrade
About $80M is expected to be invested for major upgrade of the lighting and sound systems, and air conditioning at the 37-year old National Cultural Centre (NCC) this year.
Minister Anthony said that the bids are out for the lighting aspect, which will be upgraded digitally.
There are also challenges in terms of staff, and the ministry will also be resolving that issue.
Sports
Guyana’s ability to host international and regional sporting events is being expanded with government’s continuous investment in sport infrastructure. The ministry’s pioneer initiative and the country’s first National Synthetic athletic track at Leonora, West Coast Demerara is seeing steady progress, and is expected to be completed soon.
The multi-million dollar facility was scheduled for completion in 2013, however unfavourable weather conditions prevented contractors from completing the laying of the synthetic surface. This process is expected to resume later this month.
The construction of stands on the northern side of the track has started and is expected to be completed within four months. A clubhouse also on the northern side of the track is to be erected; however that contract has not yet been awarded.
Minister Anthony noted that the inner circuit of the facility is about 80% complete. When fully completed, the facility will be hosting all track and field events. It is also designed to host football and will have a seating capacity of 8,000.
Minister Anthony, said his Ministry is open to working with the Guyana Football Federation in having them construct a project in proximity of the track since the land that is being used is 44 acres and currently only 22 is being occupied. “We see that if you have the facility closer to the synthetic track you can have more synergies so we have encouraged them to consider coming closer to the track and in fact they have given such consideration,” Minister Anthony added.
Albion Community Centre
In an effort to enhance the local cricketing fraternity, the Ministry is in the process of installing lights at the Albion Community Centre ground in Berbice. The lighting system is being installed by US based company, Mosco Lighting. A shipment including lighting towers and lights are expected in Guyana this month and the project is expected to be completed within three months.
Resource Centre
Information gathering in sport is recognised as critical in developing knowledge as it relates to the various sport disciplines, as well as Guyana’s sport history. The Ministry’s Resource Centre is expected to be open to the public soon, and will provide a vast amount of sport-related information.
The facility is located in the compound of the National Squash Court, Woolford Avenue, Georgetown.
Minister Anthony is hopeful that the Resource Centre when fully functional will be developed into an institute of sport. “We see this institution that we are starting as a resource centre, growing and evolving into an institute of sports where we will be able to offer a certificate course, later on a diploma course and perhaps up to a bachelors’ level course,” he revealed.
Once completed, the facility will provide sport related information via the internet, while the ground floor will be equipped with a library.
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