Warm up pool commissioned - brings Guyana closer to a world class sporting power
Written by Gina Webmasters, Published in News, Georgetown, GINA, February 27, 2015, Source - GINA
The Warm-up Pool has been described as another necessary component in the efforts to have Guyana recognised as a world class “sporting power”. The new facility that was commissioned today by President Donald Ramotar has now fully completed the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal.
The Head of State expressed his wish that Guyana would be recognised at events like the Olympics and other sporting events across the Americas and the rest of the world.
The newly commissioned warm-up swimming pool at the National Aquatic Center, Liliendaal
The president said the Aquatic Centre now joins the Guyana National Stadium along with the soon to be commissioned Leonora Synthetic Track, as part of government’s investment in community grounds, fields and facilities to bring out the talents of persons regardless of where they live. He said, “Hopefully, our coaches, our officials can be able to spot them, to develop them and develop their talents right here”.
It is facilities such as these, the president added, that will help to bring people together to realise their dreams of making Guyana a “much, much better place”.
The facility can also be used to bring health, economic benefits and more, the president also noted. “When you satisfy a man’s stomach then it’s important that we satisfy his spirit, his culture, his sports….which as our country develops becomes as important as satisfying the material needs of our people”. Noting that while sport has become “big business”, the president added that, the main reason should still be to seek glory for one’s self, community and country.
The pre-fabricated 25 x 21 metre warm-up pool was assembled by Myrtha Pool Company at a cost of US$288,600. Myrtha Pool was recommended by FINA, the international governing body of swimming, diving, water polo, and synchronised and open water swimming.
The preliminary work was executed by D&S Construction Company and supervised by Innovative Engineering Consultancy Services (I.E.C.S).
Giving a brief outline of the facility, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, Alfred King explained that the larger Olympic sized pool was a necessity for the facility to be certified and used for recognised international competitions. There was a six- month delay in addressing some of the construction challenges, but these were successfully overcome, he added as he thanked the construction company and other stakeholders who made the pool a reality. The project was executed in three components, with D&S Company undertaking civil works, Myrtha Pool Company which delivered a pre-engineered pool completed with a 10-year warranty and an automated filtration system that can be monitored via the internet.
Director of Sport Neil Kumar noted that the facility, along with others, “is a manifestation of what this caring and responsible government is capable of doing”.
President Donald Ramotar addressing stakeholders at the commissioning of the warm-up swimming pool at the National Aquatic Center, Liliendaal
For the President of the Guyana Swimming Association, Ivan Persaud, the facility is an upgrade for local swimmers who previously competed against their international counterparts who were able to train using world class facilities. He opined that while those gathered for the ceremony sit at the edge of the new pool, as a nation, “we stand on the edge of greatness in our sport with a new facility that will allow our swimmers to practice to their full potential”.
He further thanked the minister and his team for their “unstinting effort” in making the facility a reality.
Brief remarks were also given by the President of the South American Swimming Federation Juan Carlos Ortheila and Vice President of FÉdÉration Internationale de Natation (FINA) Dale Neuburger, both of whom thanked the Guyana Government for the investment. The latter described the new facility as “a pool of dreams, dreams of young people who will have a chance to learn to swim and to realise their potential as young athletes in both fitness and competition”.
For the Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture Dr. Frank Anthony it was a dream that was fulfilled and “another for us in the sporting community”.
Director of Sports Neil Kumar, President Donald Ramotar (center), Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture Dr. Frank Anthony and Permanent Secretary Alfred King presenting a trophy to the winner of an exhibition race at the newly commissioned warm-up swimming pool at the National Aquatic Center, Liliendaal
The facility, the minister added has already been described by an international stakeholder as the “the Rolls Royce among pools in the Caribbean”. A new organisational structure will soon be installed to manage the facility, he noted as he pledged to have more organisations use the pool. Letters, he said have already been sent to the University of Guyana, the Cyril Potter College of Education, and secondary schools to conduct physical training and swimming classes. The facility which will soon be open to the general public is already being used by the Joint Services for various types of training. The ministry has a staff of coaches and life guards on duty also.
The warm-up pool carries both a shallow and a deep end ranging between 1.175m and 1.82m. It is the first internationally certified swimming facility, to be built locally and has seen the successful staging of several competitions and training sessions.
I have always said the only two Ministers that actually work are the Minister of Sports and Education...The rest of them needs to go..
