MOCYS working on plans for stands at new synthetic tracks

Still with a year-end finish in mind, Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, gave another update on the two synthetic tracks at Linden and Berbice, revealing that there is a stumbling block that the relevant personnel are hoping to address.
Construction work at two new synthetic tracks in Guyana is going full steam ahead, and Director of Sport (DoS) Steve Ninvalle reiterated that he is still hoping to have them finished by year-end.
However, this week, Ninvalle revealed some lingering concerns, the first of which is a stumbling block met by the contractors at the New Amsterdam, Berbice track.
“Work is continuing on the track in Linden, I think it’s about 90%-85% completed at this time. I was just last Saturday at the track we have, that track is having some difficulty because of the fact that the contractor is unable – or the contractor has claimed that he is unable – to use a tract or a dam to collect the clay to put on the inner field,” Ninvalle informed.

He added, “So, when I was there, that inner field is about halfway completed with the clay that is supposed to go on it. Berbice is about 75% completed.”
While the tracks will be completed soon, Ninvalle enlightened that the initial contracts do not account for spectators or pavilion construction.
“You know, after these facilities would’ve been completed, then there’s the pavilion that would have to go up. Quite sadly, those facilities were put down without anything about how spectators could be accommodated,” the Director of Sport said.
He clarified, “So, while the grounds and so forth will be completed, the stands and pavilions are something for a next time.”
As such, the Director of Sport shared that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport would be in talks with the consultants on the project, in order to have the much need addition to the venue.
Ninvalle said, “So we’re now actually looking at that. We’re having consultations with the consultant as it relates to how do we move from here to there, but those were not included in the original.”
The two tracks – at Burnham Park in New Amsterdam, Berbice and at the Bayrock Community Centre ground at Wismar in Linden – are being constructed to the tune of $300M.
The contract for the Berbice track had initially been awarded to BK International at a cost of $141 million, while the contract for the Linden track was handed to Builders Hardware and Supplies at a cost of $179 million.