PRESIDENT of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) K.A Juman-Yassin officially signed the contract yesterday for the commencement of the building project for the new Olympic House which is to be built at Liliendaal.
Yassin revealed that the building will be a two-storey, 236 feet by 73 feet facility at

the costof US$1M or G$200M, to house all the associations affiliated to the GOA.
The bottom flat of the building is tasked to be the general offices of 23-odd associations while the second floor will be a hall to accommodate about 350 persons so that meetings and seminars can be held and also other various events to generate funds.
The site comprises one acre of land given to the GOA some time ago by former President Bharrat Jagdeo; Yassin said. They also plan to construct a hostel equipped with the latest amenities so that persons/athletes can have a place to stay when they arrive.
According to the GOA boss, the association does not have all the money to complete the facility immediately but has a plan to do it in stages.
The first stage will be the foundation and floor slab which will cost approximately G$48M. This will be done by C. Deokie and Sons Contracting Services. Yassin signed the contract alongside Chandralall Deokie in the boardroom of the GOA.
Yassin disclosed the architect who had done the blueprints for the building was Kirk Gonsalves while stating that the engineer to oversee the project is Col. John Lewis who happens to be the president of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU).
At the briefing Yassin said, “We could have easily constructed a two-storeyed building worth G$15-20M and be finished with it, but we looked at it and decided to go all the way because we want this to be something the Guyanese public can be proud of and also it will be our building, not like the current one which is being rented by the Olympic Association.”
The signing meant that ten percent of the money for the first phase was handed over which is just over $7M.
Deokie gave the first phase about 14 weeks to be completed in which time a second phase would be started and other works will be done. Yassin is unsure of when the facility will be fully completed but is still working assiduously to acquire more funding to get the project completed.
He said, all the money that the GOA has raised over the years is what they are using to get this project moving. He hoped that persons would recognise the importance of the venture and the government and private sector would lend some support.
Meanwhile, Yassin took time to state that the Olympic Association never received any money from the government for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, contrary to reports made that G$1 was given to them.
He further proceeded to defend all his associations because he thinks that Director of Sport Neil Kumar keeps making derogatory remarks about associations whether writing or speaking.