President Ali announces rehabilitation plans for Timehri Rifle Ranges
The West Indies Fullbore Shooting Championships being hosted in Guyana shot off on Tuesday morning, October 29, at the Timehri Rifle Ranges at Yarrowcabra on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, EBD, and President Dr Irfaan Ali was on hand to deliver the feature address at the opening ceremony.
His Excellency used the opportunity to make a grand announcement that would boost this sport in the future. He disclosed plans for the rehabilitation of the Rifle Ranges to include more all-inclusive amenities to bring the venue up to speed with the surrounding development.
President Ali revealed, “This facility, as you see it here today, will soon give way to a more modern facility. Because, as you can see around this facility, the development is so rapid that it cannot contain what we want to achieve here.”
Plans for this facility include enhanced accommodation, eco-lodges and open-air entertainment that would transform the facility from being just a shooting range into becoming a family- and tourism-oriented one.
“So, the new facility that we will work with our local association, you will have not the blue water, but the enriched water with important antibodies to support natural living, blessed by the droppings of the Amazon, creating a special colour that signifies beauty, purity and nature — all characteristics associated with Guyana,” President Ali revealed.
President Dr Irfaan Ali trying his hand at rifle shooting
He added, “The new facility that we want to invest in will carry waterways and lodges that even our local association members don’t have to travel all weekend. And they also will use the facility as revenue-generation, because they have the necessary management skills within the association themselves. The ecosystem they build will have eco-lodges, so that it could be a safe space for family, tourism, and other forms of open-air, natural entertainment.”
In a cooperative gesture, the Guyanese Head-of-State said the venue would be open for use by shooters from around the Caribbean Region. He noted, “We’re committing to building this modern facility, and I want the region to know that this facility will be a home for the region, not only Guyana.”
According to the Head-of- State, revamping of the facility should be completed in 24 months.
The West Indies Championships are scheduled to run from October 29th to November 4th, with participation from hosts Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Canada and USA. The event last graced Guyanese shores back in 2017.
