THE Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) president K.A. Juman-Yassin on Saturday announced the move of the entity’s headquarters from High Street, Georgetown, to Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, calling it “a move that was long overdue”.

However, while Yassin pointed out that the GOA’s having their own home is something their affiliates unilaterally endorsed, the long-serving president was tight-lipped about the estimated total cost and where they were able to source the funding for the massive structure.

In an article published in a September 16, 2014 Chronicle Sport, Yassin said that the GOA had spent $60M to complete the fencing of the one-acre piece of land and foundation works to the two-storey building that is situated adjacent to the Amerindian hostel.
The former Chief Magistrate had told this publication in 2014 that construction of columns and beams as well as the sealing of the top floor had cost in the vicinity of $30M.
Back then, GOA point man said a further $12M will be needed to cover the cost of completing the top floor which will house an auditorium to accommodate approximately 350 persons.

Fast-forward almost three years later, Yassin, when quizzed by this publication about the overall estimated cost, stated “those are difficult questions to answer because it’s difficult to tell you what the total cost will be”.
Speaking in the boardroom of the newly constructed, but incomplete building, Yassin added, “We started this project about six years ago and the only thing we could’ve done was put up a fence, and then as funds come in and as we save, put a bridge and then we started downstairs so I can’t tell you what the final cost will be.”

“What I could say is that; we had a vision, we had a dream and that dream was shared by all the associations, because before we embarked on this project, there was a meeting with all the associations and they all endorsed this is the way we should go. And so this is a project that’s been blessed by the associations generally. It was a dream, it was a challenge, and we’re seeing that dream coming to effect,” said Yassin.

Where is the funding coming from?
It is no secret that the GOA benefits from International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Olympic Solidarity; an IOC Commission aiming to organise assistance to National Olympic Committees (NOCs), in particular those with the greatest need of it, in order that NOCs may fulfil their responsibilities to the Olympic Movement.

Olympic Solidarity manages the share of the broadcast rights from the Olympic Games which belongs to the NOCs, and redistributes these funds through programmes offered to all NOCs recognised by the IOC.
The Olympic Solidarity fund is, however, assistance given to the GOA through programmes prioritising athlete development, training of coaches and sports administrators, and promoting the Olympic values.

The athletes’ programmes try to ensure that athletes with talent have an equal chance of reaching the Games and succeeding in the Olympic arena.

“We have been able to save some funds, we were given by the Pan American Sports Organisation (PASO) US$200 000, we were able to get some funds for development from Olympic Solidarity, but that is it. I’m hoping that when we finish here, we will go to some of our business houses as sponsors and they will be able to sponsor the building,” said Yassin.
The GOA new office numbers are 222-6023, 222-6024, 222-6028 and 222-6029.