PRESIDENT of Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Drubahadur made public the intentions of the Board regarding its proposal to upgrade the LBI Community Centre to house the National Academy for cricket in Guyana. The GCB has been engaging both the Government of Guyana and GUYSUCO for several years now on this initiative and has already obtained approval but is still awaiting the formal legal documentation to facilitate this development.

Former Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud had instructed GUYSUCO a few years ago to hand over the facility to the GCB but the Board noted that GUYSUCO has been dragging its feet in this matter.
A draft Memorandum of Agreement was since presented by the Board to GUYSUCO a few years ago and there has been little or no movement on the part of GUYSUCO in making this process move forward to a closure.
Speaking to the media last Sunday during one of GCB’s development programme sessions at the LBI facility, conducted by Alvin Kallicharran, Drubahadur stated that the GCB has already developed and presented an impressive proposal to GUYSUCO to lease the land from them and the Board will invest approximately $600M in the next few years to put in practice wickets, fencing, raising the ground, lights and carrying out other general upgrading to the facility to benefit the cricketing community.
The GCB president explained that the Board cannot invest that kind of money without proper documentation to show that it has legal permission to do so.
The GCB had invested close to $75M a few years ago to construct the existing hostel at that location and over the years the Board has saved a lot of accommodation expenses with the use of this hostel to house its players.
GUYSUCO has allowed the remainder of this facility to deteriorate very badly and due to its current state cannot afford to invest anything at this ground.
“We are very serious about obtaining this facility and transforming it to a venue that can our house our Academy and everyday practice and development for our cricketers. So we are hoping that good sense prevails among those in authority at GUYSUCO,” said Drubahadur.
The WICB had launched its Professional Cricket League last year and the Guyana Jaguars have placed first lien on the inaugural competition that concluded last month.
Cricket Guyana Inc. has contracted 15 players and an additional 12 players who are training year round.
GCB Territorial Developmental Officer, Colin Stuart, further explained that it is a major challenge every time there is a competition with the unavailability of grounds, noting: “We have been shifting matches too often due to grounds being booked for other activities.
“This is no fault of the Clubs as they try their best to accommodate us. Clubs have been forced more and more to lease their facilities for non-cricketing use in order for them to survive.
“We need our own venue that we can use every day, all day. Training is essential and I think this LBI ground is the ideal venue since our hostel is already in the compound.”
Former West Indies great, Alvin Kallicharran, said it is sad to see the current state of the LBI facility going to waste like this, noting that the vision the GCB has for the facility will tremendously benefit everyone involved, hence, he is hoping GUYSUCO and/or the Government will facilitate the proposal of the GCB.

GCB seeking audience with GUYSUCO over LBI Community Centre