GUYANA Football Federation’s (GFF) President Wayne Forde, intends to place more emphasis on infrastructural works in the hinterland of Guyana and to this end, the GFF will work assiduously to make this a reality.According to a GFF press release, the Federation’s president has announced a Guy $300,000 grant for the Rupununi Football Association (RFA) league prize money and Lethem will benefit by way of football infrastructural support to support the growth of the game in hinterland communities.
Forde, according to the release, made this known on Saturday last when he addressed the RFA at the association’s Annual General Meeting.
Also present was GFF’s first vice- president Brigadier (Ret) Bruce Lovell, who kicked off the GFF’s annual Member Outreach Programme to the region aimed at strengthening relationships and listening to the concerns of the local football community.
The GFF also announced that it would provide three hundred thousand (GYD $300,000) in funding for prize money to help kick off the RFA’s next league competition, which is expected to start next month.
Forde said the GFF was looking into ways to upgrade existing playing facilities in Lethem with new turf, stands and lights, but was also considering a request to build a new ground to better serve a community where football is growing rapidly.
“Let’s think big. The ultimate goal is to have a separate venue that belongs to the GFF and the RFA. The key reason for these projects is so that the RFA and its members can find a sustainable source of revenue. If you have a facility like that, you can have proper income from games and fans –- the opportunities are endless,” Forde is reported to have told the gathering.
The GFF representatives also inspected local club grounds and met with prominent members of the private sector, including representatives from the Guyana Bank For Trade and Industry (GBTI), to encourage further investment in the sport.