PPP/C Govt have always invested in sports and recreational facilities

Dear Editor,
Recently, I have been reading about the role and importance of sports and recreational facilities in our country. It is amazing to see the shallow memories and poor judgement some people have. Further, it seems that the Opposition and the naysayers would never appreciate development.
The PPP/C must be proud of their achievements in the development of sporting and recreational facilities in this country. It was the PPP/C Government that built the National Stadium at Providence. The PPP/C built Guyana’s first-ever International Athletics Track, and the world class facility at Leonora is second to none in the Caribbean. That synthetic track-and-field facility has also given our footballers their first recognized international football field.
The National Aquatic Centre, with a 50-metre swimming pool and a warm up/warm down 25-metre pool, is a tremendous achievement for this country. The National Racquet Centre and the prestigious National Sport Resource Centre mark a new beginning for sports in Guyana.
The PPP/C Government developed the National Sports Hall into an international facility. Athletes and coaches training and competing in Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton, Hockey, Karate, and Boxing are delighted with access to the Sport Hall. The National Gymnasium is yet another facility where athletes of multiple disciplines, particularly football, relish the use of the facility.
The PPP/C successfully developed and implemented a National Development Program, wherein many community centres and playfields around the country were developed and made accessible to all Guyanese.
The PNC, during their 28 years (1964-1992), did not build a single sport facility that they can show to Guyanese. In the period 2015 -2020, the PNC+APNU/AFC can hang their heads in shame and walk around the “Durban Park”, their “flagship” facility in Demerara. In Essequibo, the PNC shamefully spent millions of taxpayers’ dollars to put together a recreational park at “Ex-MOUTH”. This park is disgraceful, with heavy grass and vines overrunning the entire place. Worse is the fact that the money was spent by the PNC/REO without verifying ownership of the land. Today that issue is in the “court”.
Millions of dollars were spent on developing the facilities at Linden and New Amsterdam. Shamefully, this nation is awaiting an explanation of the money spent by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission during the period 2015-2020.
Sport is a must for all, from the cradle to the grave. The PPP/C Government fully recognizes this indubitable fact, and thus we are committed to the development of professional, amateur and recreational sports. The most recent recreational facility at Windsor Forest is indeed a tremendous achievement that clearly demonstrates this commitment. First Lady Arya Ali must be complemented on this momentous achievement, as we continuously see hundreds of persons enjoying the use of this impressive facility.
Money spent on well-organized and executed projects that significantly benefit our citizens is money well spent. Those persons saying otherwise are obviously unscrupulous in their attempts to score fallacious political points.
The PPP/C Government will remain undeterred by such unfounded and politically motivated “claims”, as we continue to demonstrate our commitment to improving the lives of all Guyanese!

Sincerely,
Neil Kumar