Guyana Stadium to be constructed in April

Bourda: not upto international standards © Getty Images

Preparations have already got underway for the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean. According to a Government Information Agency (GINA), the construction of a brand-new stadium in Guyana is set to begin in April.

Guyana is one of the eight Caribbean countries that won the bid to host the World Cup, and one of the primary requirements is for each representative to have a stadium that is up to international standards. At present, all international cricket in Guyana is played at the venerable Bourda ground in Georgetown, which is currently one of the largest stadia in the region, but has been deemed too outmoded for such a showcase event. The new ground is expected to have a seating capacity of 15,000 to 20,000.

Four Indian companies have shown interest in the construction of the stadium, and two of these submitted their bids on February 1. Both companies, Lawson Turbo and Sha-Poor-Gi Pat-Lon-Ji, were in Guyana in December to conduct assessments and their initial estimated cost is US$25 million.

The press release further stated that the amount will be obtained through a US$6 million grant from the Government of India, and a US$19 million loan from the Exim Bank of India. Both companies have the required experience in building stadia in and outside of India