President Ali Pledges High-Performance Sports Centers Amid Incomplete Projects and Opposition Criticism
By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Wednesday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to making Guyana a hub for sport tourism, should the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) secure another term in the upcoming September 1, 2025, elections.
Speaking at the PPP/C manifesto consultation hosted at the Princess Ramada Hotel, Ali emphasized that every major sporting discipline in Guyana would be equipped with a high-performance center as part of his vision to create a thriving sport tourism sector.
“In just two years, the world will see Guyana as a premier destination for global sporting events,” the President declared.
Currently, major upgrades are underway at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, both part of the PPP/C’s broader strategy to modernize sporting infrastructure nationwide.
However, the government’s credibility on these promises has come under scrutiny.
The Cliff Anderson Sports Hall project, awarded to ECS Construction and General Supplies, has seen a series of ballooning allocations:
- $47 million in 2022
- $237 million in 2023
- $8 million initially, and another $59 million added in 2024
- $473 million in 2025 for an adjacent asphalt parking lot
Despite these allocations, the facility remains incomplete, raising questions about accountability and efficiency. Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport recently disclosed that $321 million has already been invested.
The Mackenzie Sports Club Ground and Bayroc track in Linden also remain unfinished, sparking harsh criticism from APNU presidential candidate Aubrey Norton, who labeled the government’s performance as wasteful.
“When a government cannot complete two athletic tracks or the Mackenzie Sports Club in five years, and continues to waste money on incomplete projects, it speaks volumes,” Norton argued.
“But no one wants to question the failure, and I understand why — this government is vindictive.”
As the PPP/C eyes re-election, its promises are being measured against an incomplete legacy of unfinished facilities and rising public frustration.
