HOTELS, shopping malls and a hive of economic activities are expected to spring into operations with the construction of a national stadium at Palmyra, Region Six, similar to the Guyana National Stadium on the East Bank Demerara, Region Four.

This is according to Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, who, at the time, was addressing members of the Region Six business community at the Classic International Hotel and Resort in Skeldon on Sunday.

The Vice-President told the Region Six business community that the government has taken all the lands from GuySuCo around the village of Palmyra, behind the Indian Arrival Monument for the stadium. Construction works are expected to commence before year end.

“We believe that just like how that stadium serves Regions Three and Four across the bridge, so too this stadium can serve Regions Six and Five and can become a growth pole,” he said.

In the vicinity of the Guyana National Stadium today, there are hotels, thriving businesses and a university campus. Mr Jagdeo said that the vision is to have a similar plan for the area where the stadium at Palmyra will be built.

He also noted that the government has received several proposals for hotel development in Region Six, and pointed out that these investments will support the government’s efforts to drive growth and generate jobs in Region Six.

President, Dr Irfaan Ali, who led a Cabinet outreach in Region Six on Monday, also spoke about the plans to build the stadium at Palmyra while addressing a gathering at the Drop-in Centre in Smythfield, New Amsterdam.

“To support that national stadium, we are going to build a new urban centre. We already have proposals for state-of-the-art modern hotels, malls, private hospitals and a whole lot more other commercial activity that will come here and commence before the end of this year,” a release from the Office of the President quoted President Ali as saying.

The President also said that plans are in the pipeline to upgrade the Canje/Rose Hall aerodrome to make it into a municipal airport, similar to the Ogle Airport on the East Coast of Demerara.

In addition, two call centres will be built in the region; resources for their construction have already been budgeted and the President said work will commence soon. This initiative, he said, will bring hundreds of jobs to East Berbice-Corentyne.

During the past two years, he said, billions of dollars have been spent to uplift the lives of the people of Region Six. Similar investments have been made in the other regions.

“Our job is to work with every single stakeholder to ensure that we build a region and a country that create sustainable opportunities for all,” the President emphasised.