‘Impressive’- Rugby Union enthused by budgetary allocation for sport

The Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) has heaped praises on the government for its unprecedented injection of G$8 billion into sports development for 2025.

Under the theme, ‘A secure, prosperous and sustainable Guyana’, this year’s allocation to sport significantly exceeded the record sum of G$4.6 billion in 2024.

“The budget on a whole is very impressive, the amount of good that it would do cannot be overstated. Kudos to the Government of Guyana,” the GRFU, via a message from President Ryan Dey, said.

“When it come specifically to the budget for sports, the Union thinks it’s well needed and deserved, with the budget being almost doubled for 2025. We now can have a more positive outlook on the year ahead.”

The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government’s 2025 sports agenda includes the completion of the stadium in Palmyra and the commencement of a new international stadium at Crane, West Coast Demerara.

To complete ancillary works at Palmyra and related activities, G$2 billion is budgeted.

Furthermore, G$1.3 billion has been allocated to complete multi-purpose sports facilities at Anna Regina, Bayroc, Mackenzie, and New Amsterdam and multi-purpose sports halls in Leonora, Lethem, Mabaruma, Mahdia, and Mongrippa Hill.

Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh further revealed that G$100 million has been budgeted for the continued work on the Cricket Academy at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara.

G$2 billion has been allocated to continue developing community grounds, with 450 grounds benefiting in 2024. G$1 billion is also included for procuring and installing lights on grounds nationwide.

The GRFU added, “The new budgetary allocation coupled with my Union’s current relationship with the National Sports Commission speak volumes in terms of the commitment to our union and other sports associations. To meet any of the top brass in the NSC is easy as a phone call away; they are always welcoming to listen to our issues, and the union hopes that this continues, especially now that they have more than enough to spend in helping sport’s development in the country.”

“The direction that the union wants to see sports heading is the exact direction we are going. From the sports academy for children and teens to the high performance centers for the elite senior sports men and women, our country will be on the map not only with oil and our eco-tourism, but as one of the best sporting countries in this part of the world.”