Football venues: The issues, the effects and Solutions

By Jemima Holmes

The Issues
If this writer were to describe the scenes during December of 2022, when severe and persistent rainfall inundated several grounds, not only in Georgetown, but in Linden and further afield; the words nightmare, dreadful and atrocious come to mind.
However, this article is not a matter of personal opinion, but rather, fact. And that fact is, Guyana currently has a shortage of proper football venues.
In good weather, this problem may not appear so easily to the eye, but whenever Guyana is blessed with showers from above, the issue arises in all its glory, much like floating garbage whenever a drain is flooded.
2022’s year end tournament, the One Guyana President’s Cup, was a victim of this scourge with most of the games being shifted to the National Track and Field Center, West Coast Demerara (WCD), owing to the state of other venues across the coast.

But, alas, the President’s Cup was not the latest victim of the football venue plight. In February, it was announced that Guyana’s ‘home game’ for the CONCACAF Nations League will be shifted to Barbados. While there have been differing reports on the issue with the pitch on the West Coast of Demerara, the point to take away is that what was considered our best football venue at present, was not even up to CONCACAF’s standards.
As such, the Guyana Times Sport sought to hear the opinions of those stakeholders closest to the sport. And on what better note to begin than with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President, Wayne Forde, who labelled the situation a ‘crisis’.

“I would say that we have a crisis, with regards to proper facilities for football development,” the GFF President bluntly told this publication.
Forde went on to share, “We quite possibly only have about three decent quality facilities for football activities, whether it’s training programs or competition, and let’s be clear about that. And, you know, the GFF is doing what we can, but we understand that the state also has great plans, and those plans are already in motion. But truth be told, we have a crisis for football facilities.”
“In Linden, all the tournaments are being played in the schoolyard because of the ongoing works. And because many of the other facilities are just in pretty, pretty bad shape. In Georgetown, they GFA has very, very little opportunity to move games around because of the state of infrastructure. And this is the same for all 10 regions,” Forde said, painting a picture of how dire the situation is.
However, the problem has not only hindered the Federation but private organizers also. Sharing similar sentiments to Forde on the issue, was Petra Organization Co- Director Troy Mendonca.
“Well, I think that’s a big struggle for the country as a whole. I think that’s the biggest hurdle that football, sports in general, but football especially; its one of the biggest hurdles that the sport is faced with, in terms of having, not even proper venues, but venues in the whole,” Mendonca had told the Guyana Times Sport earlier this year.
Mendonca added, “We would have really enjoyed really good relationship with the Ministry of Education and their facility and they would’ve, during the COVID time, did some work on the facility and we would continue in every way, in our relationship, to enhance the facility. So, yes, it is a challenge, but it’s countrywide, it’s not a challenge Petra Organization alone faces,”

The Effects
As previously mentioned, the glaring lack of football venues has grown so much, that the Golden Jaguars will play a ‘home game’ on Barbadian soil in a few weeks’ time.
On that note, Forde shared how these occurrences not only affect the game but the Federation.
“The game, it really belongs to the people. You know, the Golden Jaguar belongs to the people of Guyana, we just have the privilege to manage it on their behalf. And I know the team is also motivated to perform before their fans. So, when you take that element out, you know that it’s not something that we take lightly,” Forde emphasized.
Turning his attention to some of the roadblocks that they are now faced with, Forde divulged, “So, we now have to embrace the additional expenses that come with, because we have to pay the Barbados Football Association to use their venue. There are many other costs that we would not have likely incurred here that we now have to carry.”
He went on to add, “The opportunity to engage sponsors are almost not there because companies would have enjoyed having their brand displayed in a local venue and being carried.”
However, the GFF boss is approaching the problem, which is a trickle down of the country’s venue bugbear, optimistically.
He said, “So, we’re going to make the best of it. We’ve already been communicating with the players that they need to rise to the occasion and put that behind us, it’s already done. And, and God willing, and with the work that I know Coach Shabazz and team is doing, we will be smiling at the end of the day when the final whistle is blown.”

The Solutions
While highlighting the problem is the first step, action needs to be taken to rectify the issue.
From the Government’s side, grounds such as the Fruta Conquerors venue in Tucville is currently being redone under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports’ ‘Ground Enhancement project’.
On the Federation end, Forde shared exclusively with the Guyana Times Sport, the solution that the Federation is focused on.
“In my discussions last year with FIFA, when we were planning for the new year, we drove home as hard as we could, the desperate situation for infrastructure in Guyana, and the extent to which rainfall is impacting competitions, because many of our tournaments are suspended, because it’s no longer safe, for games to be played on really water logged and chewed up the pitches. And if you’re able to meet your game time target for your players, you have to be able to play football,” Forde shared.
He went on to disclose, “So one of the goals that we are pursuing very aggressively, is having at least one artificial pitch in each of our regional associations, which will allow multiple competitions to be played at the same time at those venues. So, there’s a lot of work that we’re doing behind the scenes to bring that to reality. But we do have a severe crisis and shortage for football venues Guyana.”
On the other hand, while the ground enhancement project takes shape, Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr, has shared plans for three international standard football venues across the country.
“The answer to your question is really, ‘Will we have any additional grounds that will be capable oof hosting FIFA matches’ and the answer is yes,” Ramson Jr. recently said, responding to an inquiry by the Guyana Times Sport.
The Sport Minister further revealed, “I have already procured for Region 6, FIFA standard lighting for the football field, which is going to be exactly what you have, maybe even better than Leonora. I already have procured FIFA standard lighting at New Amsterdam and we’re going to be doing that now for the track in Linden.”
“So, you’re going to have three locations here you have options of FIFA matches,” the Minister assured.
Between the Ground Enhancement project, the anticipated completion of the GFF’s Providence and D’Urban Park facilities, the outcome of their conversations with FIFA and the three International Standard facilities being built by the Ministry, there will be an abundance of proper facilities for football in future. However, the wait is on.
While we wait, the question that remains is, “Will that be enough?”