By Treiston Joseph
Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, has announced that a warm-up track will be built for the National Track and Field Centre, while similar synthetic tracks will be constructed in Linden and Berbice.
It is just the beginning of 2017, but Jones, in a recent interview with News Room Sport, said he is positive that Guyana will realise a warm-up track for the National Track and Field Centre, thus making the Leonora facility capable of hosting regional and international events, such as the prestigious Carifta Games.
“There has been a submission for the warm-up track over at Leonora and will likely see that before the end of 2017. In addition to that you recall in the budget the Minister (Dr Nicolette Henry) spoke about the establishment of five synthetic tracks in various regions, what we know for sure will happen because we met with the Trinidadian consultant and he would have advised us that it’s more feasible that we have the establishment of two tracks and lay the foundation for the other three which could be completed in 2018,” Jones shared.
In addition, Jones guaranteed that similar tracks will be established in Linden and in Region Six before the completion of 2017.
“Definitely, I did earlier in my remarks at the Boyce and Jefford track and field meet I did spoke about the commitment to Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and the athletes that are there to have a synthetic track established at least by 2017… that will be fulfilled.
“Region 10 will get a synthetic track as well as Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) which will be able to be used by Region Five as well; the other three regions which are Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) will come on stream in 2018, but we will lay the foundation for those tracks in this year,” Jones revealed.
When the new track comes to fruition, the Land of Many Waters will become just the fifth Caribbean nation, along with Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas Barbados and Jamaica with multiple track and field facilities in the region.
