President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday began dismantling the Young Achievers boxing gym paving the way for the erection of a modern boxing gym to be named in honour of Guyana's first world champion Andrew 'Sixhead' Lewis.

The Head-of-State easily removed three lengths of wood of the old dilapidated building from which some of Guyana finest pugilists emerged. The symbolic gesture signified the end of the Young Achievers gym and the commencement of work which will result in a modern boxing gym valued at over 16 million dollars.

Declaring himself,"very happy," the president re-iterated his government's commitment to sports.

"My government will continue to support sports. Sports has the potential of taking people out of poverty, molding citizens," the president said.

"This is not a single effort. There are numerous such facilities across the country. We have over 380 projects from the Youth Choice Initiative. I know the project will help a lot of people in the area," he added.

President Jagdeo thanked those persons who worked to make the project happen including legendary trainer George `Canchie' Oprecht and apologised for the delay in the commencement of the project.

President Jagdeo said that the commitment to build a gym in honour of Lewis was made on the night Lewis wrote his own page in Guyana's boxing history by wresting the world title from James Page and said.."it is unfortunate that we could not get it off before."

"What Lewis has done for Guyana many persons including politicians have not been able to do. He has given us name - recognition abroad," President Jagdeo said whilst calling for proper management of the facility.

Ministerial advisor to the president Odinga Lumumba who chaired the proceedings, explained that the fire which gutted the Ministry of Housing building on Homestretch Avenue this year, set the programme back a bit, adding that the government has however kept its word albeit a bit late.

Work on the project will commence today by contractor Alex Mahaica who won the right to build the new gym with a bid of $16.243M Lumumba disclosed.

The new two storey building will have a capacity to house 20 trainees, said Lumumba. There will also be an executive room, modern gym, kitchen facilities and outdoor training area complete with weights for exercising, he added.

Oprecht in a short response thanked the president, Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green and Lumumba on behalf of the people of Albouystown.

Green, Oprecht said, was instrumental in the present building being constructed while Lumumba, as a boxing promoter, assisted boxers from the gym with their development.

Oprecht declared that such a facility was "long overdue."

"We used to train under hard conditions, no electricity etc. and when rain fell, the place leaked, so you were unable to carry on programmes. I hope that will be alleviated."

Oprecht said he plans to produce and develop lots more world champions.

Also present at the short ceremony were Minister of Culture Youth and Sports Gail Teixeira, Director of Sports Neil Kumar, Guyana Olympic Association president K. Juman-Yassin and former head of the OECS Sports Desk Joseph `Reds' Perreira.

Juman-Yassin in an invited comment said he felt the construction of the new gym would be very good for boxing at both amateur and professional levels as well as giving good recognition for the area. He added that he was looking forward to it.

Perreira said apart from Randolph Turpin, who he said fought for Britain, Lewis was the first home grown world champion and the "government has responded in the right way."

Perreira said the new gym should stimulate the community. He added that it was important that the residents ensure that the new facility would not be vandalised, defaced nor abused.

Leading boxer Vincent Howard, who literally grew up at the gym said the new facility would help the youths from the area find something positive to do.

Apart from Lewis, some of the outstanding boxers that came out of or sparred at the Albouystown Gym include world rater Andre Purlette, Glenn Forde, Joseph Murray, the Howard brothers Vincent and Richard, Michael Benjamin, Gary St Clair, Keith `Crusher' Thomas and Denny Dalton. The ceremony was witnessed by some of the residents of the area, mainly women.