Guyana unveil new W/Cup 2007 stadium plan

GEORGETOWN: Guyana have unveiled the initial design for their proposed Cricket World Cup 2007 stadium.

Engineer Ashok Thadani and architect Praveen Kumar, two Indian construction experts in Guyana to assist the Government in preparing their  CWC 2007 bid, rolled out plans for a 20,000-seater stadium. Also a part of the plan is a car park that accommodates as many as 4,000 vehicles, an administrative block, a residential area, and a sports village. The stadium is expected to cover close to 40 acres of land with the cricket oval itself being around 225 feet in radius.

Commenting on the presentation by the two experts from India, Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Gail Teixeira said the visit by Thadani and Kumar was part of the process of putting in Guyana’s bid for the CWC 2007. She said that the Government had presented a project proposal to the Indian High Commissioner to Guyana Avinash Gupta in September for submission to the Indian Government following President Bharat Jagdeo’s visit to India in August. She added that Guyana and the other countries of the Caribbean were given an extension of the time required to submit their bids.

Teixeira also announced that she was chairman of the country’s bid committee and that Chetram Singh, president of the Guyana Cricket Board, and Norman McLean, human resources manager at Omai Gold Mines Ltd, are among the other members. Teixeira said in preparing Guyana’s bid, the committee will also have to address improvements at the country’s airports, electricity generation, roads, communication networks, accommodation and security, among other issues. She stressed, however, it was more important now than ever that the spirit of inclusivity be engendered by the participation of Guyanese from all walks of life in making sure that the country makes a strong bid and, if successful, is well prepared for hosting of matches.