By Colin Bynoe Jr

MAYOR of New Amsterdam, Winifred Haywood, set the tone in her opening remarks at a consultation for stakeholders in the New Amsterdam/Canje area yesterday, as she publicly declared her feelings of delight as the realisation of a synthetic track facility looms.

Minister of Social Cohesion with Responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport Dr George Norton led a team which comprised Assistant Director of Sport Melissa-Dow-Richardson and Attorney-at-Law Leslyn Charles to the region to discuss the possibility of a track there.

The stakeholder consultation was held at the New Amsterdam Town Hall with a gathering which included Regional Executive Officer Region Six, Ms Kim Williams-Stephen, Mayor and Staff of New Amsterdam, teachers, students and members of the public.

The popular Burnham Park Facility situated in New Amsterdam will house this historic initiative. Assistant Director of Sport Melissa Dow-Richardson gave a clear overview of the project in her informative presentation.
Dow-Richardson in her update spoke extensively, highlighting that phases one and two of the project have been completed.

It was disclosed that the facility will accommodate a 400-metre track showing eight lanes.
Estimated at $176M, Ms Dow-Richardson mentioned, “Tenders were advertised with twelve bidders from the New Amsterdam area showing interest.”
Areas of demarcation, land clearing and filling, laying of draining pipes, inner and outer track works, and the asphalting phase were also addressed.

This, she projected will take a minimum of four months to be completed after which phase four will commence. This includes the laying of the synthetic surface. The assistant director of sports gave the project a December/January 2019 completion period.

Minister George Norton in his remarks spoke of the importance of having suitable facilities for our athletes to perform at their best, and sees this as a big step for Region Six.
Minister Norton placed emphasis on young Orlando Carrington the 9-year-old from St Therese Primary who will shortly have his first taste of international exposure when he participates in the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) games in Bermuda.

Orlando will compete in Bermuda in the Boys’ Under-10 100, 200 and 400 metres races.
The minister said, “I was happy to meet Orlando. It pleases me to know that he’s going abroad to represent not only Region Six but also Guyana as a whole.”

Minister Norton addressed the gathering sharing that his ministry has an open-door policy whereby everyone is able to share his/her views and ask questions. On a lighter side of things, Minister Norton charged the gathering and Berbicians at large sharing, “I personally feel with a synthetic track in Region Six, the prominence that Region Ten has got over the years will be given a serious challenge.

I’m depending on you Berbicians, to take up the challenge and that the next Daniel Williams should come out of this initiative.”
The famed Burnham Park venue which sits on an estimated 10 acres of land is set for a major take-off.

The Burnham Park facility was named after the first Executive President of Guyana Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham.