6 indoor facilities under construction; Region 1’s to be re-tendered

Sport in several Hinterland regions will soon be boosted by the acquisition of multipurpose, indoor sport facilities, according to an update from Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr.

Speaking on the side of a press briefing earlier this week, Ramson Jr revealed that 6 indoor facilities are being constructed, with the exception of Region One, which has fallen victim to the contractor’s complacency.
“Right now, as you know, we’re building six indoors facilities. So, the one in Mabaruma is being terminated, so we’re going back out to tender so we can have a new contractor to come to complete that. The fact of the matter is that the contractor didn’t do what he was supposed to do and the protracted delays; there’s only so much clemency that we can provide for contractors,” Ramson Jr disclosed.
He continued, “As much as we know that it’s new to people, we have to deliver. And one of the biggest issues coming out of the elections were unfinished projects, not just for me but for almost everyone.”
Despite the single setback, Ramson Jr was eager to inform us that the other facilities are making significant progress, with an approximate six-month completion time attached.
Ramson Jr enlightened, “As far as being able to get all of the indoor facilities completed, you’ll see about four of them come on-stream in about six months or so. We’re seeing a lot of significant progress now, because all of the steel frames are being installed, as well as the structural support that is necessary to keep it safe.”
“What you’ll see when it’s completed, in terms of dimensions and scale, is 120 ft wide X 140 ft long at minimum and about 40 ft high. Those are massive, massive facilities, and when you think about where they’re going to be, they’re going to be in places where, hitherto, they just never had those types of facilities, not even imagined that those facilities could’ve been there.”
Speaking to the significance of such venues, the Sport Minister highlighted how transformational they can be for those regions.
The Sport Minister concluded, “You see how much our Sports Hall and Gymnasium is being used; that will give you an idea of how that will change and transform the development of sport in those regions, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Amongst the regions initially announced to benefit from the indoor facilities are Regions One, Three, Seven, Eight and Nine – Region Three being the only non-hinterland venue.