Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr inspected the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club on Sunday 16 March 2025, following rehabilitation works on the sports complex that began in 2023 to bring the grounds up to international standards.
The extensive work has transformed the facility into a venue that, in the Minister’s assessment, could rival the National Stadium in terms of quality.
Mr Ramson said the outfield drains as fast as the National Stadium and possibly better, meaning that unless it rains all day, an important match at Albion should still be playable.
With the new infrastructure, he said, the Albion sports complex could be used as an alternative venue for matches traditionally played in Georgetown or Region Four, making it an ideal location for high-level cricket events in Berbice, including semi-finals and finals of tournaments played in the county and national fixtures moved out of the capital.
On the question of further development of the stands, the Minister was more cautious. He noted that demand for large crowds at regional cricket matches has been inconsistent, in part because spectators have been spoiled by the CPL-style atmosphere and now have many other entertainment options competing for their time.
For that reason, he said, the facility’s capacity will be evaluated against future needs rather than expanded automatically, so that a key asset is not over-invested in.
The existing stands, built in an earlier era using wooden materials, have started to deteriorate, with some sections rotting. The Minister said he had discussed with club officials the possibility of moving toward the grass mound or sloping style now common at grounds elsewhere in the world.
The report was filed for LRTVS Newswatch.