McKenzie Sports Club: gov’t wants to help, not take over – Minister Ramson

Sport Minister Ramson at a Radio Station in Linden Sunday bringing clarity to government’s interest in the McKenzie Sport Club

During a visit to the mining town of Linden Sunday Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports Charles Ramson has assured Lindeners that Government has no intention of taking over the McKenzie Sports Club.

His comment comes on the heels of criticisms by members of the public after it was announced that government is pushing for the facility to become a multipurpose one which will bring more value to it’s over-all operations.

“I want the Lindeners both here in Guyana and everywhere else across the world to be assured that we have no intention of taking over the McKenzie Sports Club, who else can it be for? it has to be for the people of Linden.  The Sport Minister firmly stated.

He added that it is nonsensical for persons to think that the facility can be used for persons outside of Linden, logically, it is in the town of Linden; it is in the center of Linden.

“People of Linden [have] that access currently, but as you can see, it is in a really bad condition. What should we do as a Government?  Ignore a facility that needs assistance that could be for the benefit of everyone and not do anything about it?” Ramson Questioned.

He went on to state that once the developmental works are completed, the Management Committee of the Club will be in charge and not the Government.

“For those who have an objection to the major works by the Government, I am asking, what is their alternative that they are presenting for their own investment,” Minister Ramson questioned while adding that Linden is the only Region that objected to Government’s assistance.

over the last few days there have been several visits to the facility where first-hand assessments were done.

Officials from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Foreign Affairs Ministry and International Cooperation, and the Chinese Embassy had a consultation at the facility.

Coming out of the first visit by Minister Ramson last year, a second was done by the designing team led by Orin Boyce, and this third visit Thursday.

The visits was aimed to move the process forward as the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Chinese Embassy officials came to have a first-hand look at what must be done to do a complete makeover of the MSC.

The Chinese team came on board since this will be a bilateral arrangement between Guyana and the People’s Republic of China.

Through the Department of International Cooperation, the Foreign Affairs Ministry was there to assess the nature of this project to help determine the terms of conditions and protocols, which will be thorough, inclusive of the technical element of this project.

Presently work is being done on the architectural design for the new Mackenzie Sports Club, and when this is done, it will be presented to the MSC Management Committee for approval.

While there is a concept design, in the end, this must be agreed upon before a final design is arrived at.