DURING a media trip to the Leonora, West Coast Demerara-based construction site yesterday, Deputy Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) Steve Ninvalle said he was pleased with the progress of work being carried out so far.
“There have been several developments as it relates to this synthetic track,

with one new development being the arrival of the materials for the laying of the track and we plan to start laying that down soon,” reported Ninvalle.
Ninvalle, along with the site engineer, Patrick Pitt, Director of Design and Construction Services Limited, conducted the tour of the facility with the media fraternity, with Ninvalle saying that close to G$450M has been spent on the track, while the contracts which have been given out to date, totalled G$870M.
According to Pitt, much more has been achieved to date than what was expected, pointing out the laying of the asphalt-based mixed turf, which is designed to take the Regupol material will be used in the laying of the synthetic track soon.
“We have achieved a lot to date, more than what we had expected. What you are actually seeing and standing on is the turf which is asphalt-based mix designed separately as a vapour release that is different from the surface and one which will hold the Regupol material for the track.
“The workers are currently topping up the outlying areas, as they have to bring up the curb of the track to approximately 13mm higher, so as to accommodate the laying of the track, which is a liquid material, and it would not spill over,” added Pitt.
Pointing out the football field which is being accommodated at the centre of the track, Pitt said reshaping and grading have already taken place, while the planting of the grass, whose seeds will take approximately 5 to 7 weeks for germination process, will be done soon.
“The other thing is the main entrance and ticket booth which is almost 90% completed, but will not go further due to other construction works that are taking place, such as the gates that are already swinging while the roads are being prepared at the moment, with the contractor putting down crusher mix.”
Pitt said Regupol, a German-based contracting firm which specialises in the construction of tracks, will be in Guyana within the next 5 to 6 weeks, to commence work on the laying of the synthetic surface, hence the area will be closed off to movement of workers, animals etc, making it a sterile area.
“Once the laying of the track is being done, there cannot be any type of foreign influence impeding the process, in terms of seeds, sand and even the movement of persons. In the near future and just before the arrival of the Regupol personnel, we will be setting up a perimeter of the track, both internal and external of the track itself with a protective material be it fabric or plastic, so that they can execute their work,” said Pitt.
He pointed to the commencement of work on the stands at the northern end of the venue, along with the roadways leading to the Guyana’s first synthetic track, which is expected to be completed by this year end.