Govt’s cricket plan for MacKenzie ground upsets region...
games of cricket and football. He also stated that if the ground was being upgraded to FIFA standards, athletes would still be able to train but now that does not seem possible.
“We are in support of all disciplines of sport having a place in our community,” he said, before adding that the region is in no way opposed to cricket being played there as some residents are huge cricket fans.
“Don’t get me wrong we the people of Linden welcome the upgrades of any facility but the manner in which this is being done, without any respect for the local authority or the people is not fair and that is what we have an issue with,” Adams added.
Both FIFA & ICC standard grounds
Region 10 parliamentarian, Jermaine Figueira and shadow minister of Culture, Youth and Sport during the Leader of the Opposition’s weekly press conference on
Thursday called for clarity at the announcement of the facility becoming an ICC-standard ground. He stated that this announcement is a concern for Region 10 and the athletes.
“It is of concern to the residents, the people of Region 10 who are particularly known for athletics, swimming and football. We are very much concerned with this new revelation because in the House when the question was asked it was specifically said that the club will maintain all of the disciplines that it used to host and that is the direction this development would be taking,” Figueira said.
Echoing the sentiments of Adams, the parliamentarian said that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport is hesitant to give information or even release an artist’s impression of what the facility would look like.
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton adding his voice on the issue asserted “The government should not be imposing. They should be in consultation with the people of Linden and give them what they want.”
At a press conference on Thursday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo in response to the claims said “The fact is that Linden will have both a FIFA-standard ground and an ICC-standard ground, that they can play both cricket and football.”
He clarified that the Bayroc Ground where a multi-million dollar synthetic field is being developed will house an FIFA-standard ground with lighting for football.
“For the first time, we are developing three grounds in the town of Linden that will allow us to play international cricket and football,” Jagdeo said prior to mentioning that government will also upgrade the Retrieve, Linden ground to benefit three schools.
“These are the facts,” he said before accusing Norton of utilizing the situation to play the race card.
“…I said he’s ill-advised and he picks up on everything that he sees race in, every single issue, doesn’t do any research whatsoever…” he added.