By Rawle Toney
With Guyana set to host the West Indies, South Africa and Australia in a Tri-Series in June, it leaves the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) between a rock and a hard place in finding a venue for the Golden Jaguars’ home game in Round 2 of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Scotiabank Caribbean Cup.
Guyana was placed alongside Curacao and the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) for the second round of the CFU marquee event, which will be played between June 1 – 7.
The Golden Jaguars, who topped Group 5 in Round One, is schedule to play the Patrick Kluivert-coached Curacao on June 1, with the Guyana National Stadium listed as the venue.
The ‘Jags’ will then travel the USVI, where they play the host at the Addelita Cancryn Play Field on June 7.
The Guyana National Stadium has long been the only venue that meets the basic hosting requirements by FIFA, but the venue was originally built during the ICC’s 2007 Cricket World Cup which was hosted in the region for the first time.
In the Tri-Series One Day Internationals (ODI) matches are scheduled for June 3, June 5 and June 7. This series would be the first where Guyana would be hosting more than two international teams at the same time since the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup.
While contacted, an official from the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), said that when Guyana was named as a host country for the Tri-Series, it meant that the Government of Guyana, along with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) would’ve signed an agreement or memorandum of understanding (MOU), detailing the full use of venue.
“It’s impossible for anything to happen at the Stadium around that period, even if its three days before the match. When Guyana got the game, it means that documents had to signed where the stadium would be handed over the organisers” said a representative from the National Stadium management.
Australia will play South Africa on June 3, West Indies versus South Africa on June 5 and Australia taking on the West Indies on June 7 at Providence.
The GFF in a release, did not name a venue for the Golden Jaguars’ home game, but a representative told News Room Sports that they are aware that the Guyana National Stadium will not be available.
The source said that the Leonora Stadium, West Coast Demerara, is only other venue that could be used. “We’re already in talks with them and we’ve already gotten a positive feedback” said the source.
Meanwhile, Trevor Williams who has complete oversight of the Leonora facility, said that the GFF had reached out to them, but was told that the use of the venue will be pending a site visit from representatives of the CFU.
