Describing the current era as “the best time for sport” in Guyana’s history, Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs, has outlined a comprehensive strategy to transform the nation into a premier regional sporting hub.
Speaking on the Starting Point podcast on Sunday, Minister Jacobs detailed how the government, under the leadership of President Dr. Irfaan Ali, is aggressively blending sports with economic growth while systematically rebuilding the country’s athletic infrastructure from the ground up.
A central pillar of the Ministry’s current agenda is leveraging international events to boost the local economy.
Minister Jacobs emphasised that attracting global attention is a deliberate strategy to position Guyana as a major destination.
“Sport tourism is very key and that is why we are bringing a host of tournaments/events here,” Jacobs explained.
The Minister highlighted a packed calendar of mega-events scheduled for later this year, which promises to draw thousands of regional and international visitors.
These include:
- · The GT Challenge de las Americas (Grand Prix): The third leg of this high-octane motorsport event will roar into the South Dakota Circuit on July 11–12 as some of the best GT3 cars and drivers will descend on Guyana.
- · ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League: A premier cricket spectacle set to run from July 23 to August 1 in its third edition, bringing the champions of T20 cricket to challenge the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
- · Inaugural Global T10 Tapeball Blast: A highly anticipated tournament set for October, which aims to bring eight overseas team to Guyana, bringing a structured international spotlight to grassroots cricket.
This influx of international competition is part of a broader vision to modernise Guyana’s economic landscape.
“It is building a system that can support the creative industry and that is what we are doing, we are diversifying,” Jacobs noted.
To support this rapid expansion, Minister Jacobs clarified the governance model of local sports, ensuring that roles are clearly defined to maximise efficiency and transparency.
“In our sporting ecosystem in Guyana, we have clear separation,” the Minister stated, noting that the landscape is distinctly organised between individual clubs, the National Sports Commission (NSC), national associations, and the Ministry.
While the Ministry maintains this structural separation, its financial and developmental backing remains unprecedented. Jacobs affirmed that the government supports local programmes and tournaments “heavily,” adding, “we are building out the infrastructure to support the programmes.”
Evidence of this build-out can be seen across the country, with multiple multi-purpose halls and stadiums currently under construction or undergoing major upgrades.
Furthermore, the indoor Racquet Centre is slated to open soon, providing dedicated, state-of-the-art spaces for badminton and table tennis.
The government’s strategy extends beyond concrete and steel; it is heavily focused on human capital.
In partnership with the Athletics Association of Guyana, the Ministry is currently running an ongoing development programme supporting 25 Track and Field athletes, comprising 19 junior and 6 senior competitors. Simultaneously, local coaches are being upskilled through a specialised partnership with the overseas sports organisation, D-Starr.
The crown jewel of this athletic development plan, however, will be a brand-new facility on the East Coast of Demerara.
“One of the most transformative infrastructure that is coming on stream is the high-performance centre and performance lab at Good Hope, which will also host a cricket academy,” Minister Jacobs revealed.
At the community level, the Ministry is implementing a meticulous, data-driven approach to grassroots development, directly aligned with Presidential directives.
Every single sporting ground across the country is currently being mapped, utilising photography to create a comprehensive, nationwide inventory of existing infrastructure.
To ensure these community grounds do not fall into disrepair, a proactive new management model has been introduced.
The Ministry has established local “ground committees,” which bring together community members and officials from various state agencies to quickly address maintenance and structural issues as they arise.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport is working hand in hand with the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development to formulate sustainable, long-term maintenance programmes for these spaces.
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