Albion Sports Complex will rival Providence upon completion – Minister Ramson

By Brandon Corlette

The historic Albion Community Centre Cricket Club (ACCC) is set to become a multi-purpose sports facility that would rival the Guyana National Stadium at Providence upon its completion. This is according to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, who visited Berbice yesterday.
Ramson, who visited various cricket grounds in Berbice, told those present at Albion that the multipurpose sports facility envisaged should be completed in approximately two years’ time.

“When it’s done, (Albion Sports Complex), it would be rivalling Providence. We are not spending as much money as we spent at Providence, here we have a good base,” Ramson said.
Ramson spoke to the members of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club and the Berbice Cricket Board separately, and promised that international cricket would return to Albion. He told his Albion audience, which
included West Indies players Devendra Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul, that Berbice has the talent, and the Ministry would be aiming to have structured elite training programmes which would widen that talent pool.

Ramson disclosed that the historic Albion Sports Complex would have an indoor sporting facility that would accommodate basketball, futsal, table tennis and badminton, among other sports. Ramson also said the services of the GDF will be used for community enhancement and development.
“Hopefully, next year we should complete about 30 grounds,” Ramson said. He explained that the ACCC would remain the home of Albion cricket despite the restructuring that is looming.
When Ramson met the Hilbert Foster-led Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) at the Albion Sports Complex, he expressed positive sentiments and made commitments to the Board.
The Minister said he was committed to the overall development of sportAs in Guyana, and Government would assist with funds for BCB tournaments. He promised to assist Berbice Cricket with two full-time cricket coaches, and promised to seek ways to assist Berbice with at least two grass cutters.
The BCB has A to the Minister a list of grounds for possible upgrading, and the BCB has sought the Minister’s assistance to have changes to the BCB Constitution put into the Cricket Bill. Assistance was also sought to have school grounds in order.