AS the debate rages on the largest budgetary allocated in the country’s history, the conversation moved into the sports arena on Tuesday with Member of Parliament and Minister of Culture Youth and Sports, Charles Ramson jr., standing up to defend the allocation for sport and the track record of his Ministry.

The rebuttal came after oppostion Member of Parliament, Nima Flue-Bess, made a plethora of concerns against the works of the ministry and the Minister’s stewardship.
Minister Charles Ramson Jr. in response to Flue-Bess concerns specifically about the ground enhancement programmes said the former government has no moral ground to stand on this matter because of its history.
‘When the APNU+ AFC came to government, they cut expenditure on community grounds by 66 percent, in the 2011 to 2015 period,

We use to spend 300 million a year on community grounds and hey want to come and profess they love community grounds. It is for that reason you have had the decrepitude in community grounds that we have had to make this investment now’
The honourable member, Nima Flue-Bess attempted to assail the minister and by extension the government’s commitment to the sports sector and athletes.
‘Despite millions of dollars earmarked for these projects, the reality on the ground tells a different story in budget 2023 and 2024. You said you were going to do 251 grounds, they were going to be upgraded, fine, then the latter part of the year the Minister came and said the funds were exhausted and presented a list of 93 grounds. I have it in the Hansard, mister speaker, interestedly how are these grounds completed’

Mnister Ramson, in his broadside of her criticism made mention of the many works his ministry has done since the government was re-elected to office.
‘We have completed and invested in the last four years, 320 community grounds and if you include the hinterlands, the 248 villages, it is over 550 community grounds that we have invested in and this is something I put my personal attention in because I know how important it is to young people’
Minister Ramson said his ministry has done over a 1000 consultations with communities to ensure the projects meet the needs of the persons set to use
the community grounds around the country.

He highlighted the government 2 billion allocated for the ground enhancement programme this year adding that they will also focus on outfitting facilities with lights to the benefit of the people of Guyana.
In 2024 $4.6 billion was allocated for the advancement of sports in Guyana including $1 billion to continue upgrading grounds throughout the country. $957 million to continue construction of multi-purpose sports halls in Regions 1, 3, 7, 8 and 9 as well as multi-purpose sports facilities in
Regions 2 and 10.

This year the sports sector is getting another significant increase with 8 billion dollars set to boost sports further with initiatives for athletes, completion of several stadium, sports hall and community grounds around the country and financial support of athletes and associations.