President gets Stadium assurance
Guyana Chronicle
February 6, 2007
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo was yesterday assured that only ‘minor works’ need to be completed on the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara before the venue is officially handed over to the Cricket World Cup (CWC) on February 19.
The Government Information Agency (GINA) said he got the assurance during an inspection visit to the stadium, shortly after his arrival home from Russia.
Accompanying the President were Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Mr. Robeson Benn, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Local Organising Committee (LOC) Mr. Karran Singh and Technical Consultant of the Stadium Mr. Walter Willis.
Highlighting the ‘finishing touches’ to be done, Willis told the President that work on access roads and driveways to the stadium and external fencing are nearing completion, according to GINA.
Indian contracting firm, Shapoorji Pallonji, has completed all civil works on the facility, and on February 13, the official supplier of goods and services for CWC, GL Events, will take over the remaining works, the agency said.
GINA said all works at the stadium are expected to be completed before it is officially handed over to CWC on February 19.
It also noted that representatives of the Global Communications Corporation (GCC) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) will today be in Guyana to check on the readiness of the stadium for the upcoming games.
After leaving the stadium, President Jagdeo visited Buddy’s International Hotel, a stone’s throw away, where teams, officials, media personnel and sponsors will be accommodated during the two weeks of cricket.
There he was met by Mr. Buddy Shivraj, who sits at the helm of the multi-billion-dollar Shivraj Enterprises which is building the US$8-$10 million hotel, and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Mr. Manniram Prashad.
The hotel is set to be formally opened on February 20 and according to Shivraj, a special programme is being planned for that date.
Buddy’s International Hotel is intended to be Guyana’s first and only four-star-rated international facility.
Located immediately south of the cricket stadium in Providence, the hotel will be six storeys high and the rooms will feature two queen-size beds, chairs, tables, desks, hot and cold baths, television, radio, and other facilities.
One significant feature will be the guests’ option of requesting any room to be customised with electronic/communication facilities.
As regards security, each room will be accessed by both keys and electronic cards, issued to bona fide guests of the hotel and all rooms will be serviced by wireless fibre optic facilities.
In addition, there will be a perimeter fence and manned surveillance systems to monitor activities around the hotel.
Among other features, the hotel will have two restaurants, an international conference room, a modern discotheque, lawn tennis and basketball courts, a bowling alley and a state-of-the-art gymnasium with trained attendants.
Following his visit to the hotel, GINA said President Jagdeo went to the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara to check on landscaping work being done there ahead of the Rio Group Summit set to commence on February 28.