By Rawle Toney
After several hours of discussion yesterday with the various stakeholders in the mining town of Linden the organisers of the Kashif and Shanghai football tournament have officially declared that the final of the 19th annual event will be held at Guyana’s National Stadium at Providence.
At the meeting which was held at the Linden Economic Advancement Programme (LEAP) building it was explained in detail by co-organiser Kashif Muhammad that the main reason for shifting the final was the bad state of the Mackenzie Sports Club ground (MSC).
According to Muhammad, the organization fully understood the financial benefits the tournament offered the community.
“Over the past 18 years the Mackenzie Sports Club ground has been the venue for this event,” he said.
“Circumstances, however, have changed. The most important change has been the continued deterioration of the facilities at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground and the impact that this has had on the final,” he added.
“In a nutshell we have been unable to offer football fans and players an environment befitting the final of a prestigious football tournament.
“Additionally, the cramped and sub-standard facilities at the Mackenzie Sports Club have seen attendance reduced by more than 33 per cent over the years.
“It is generally acknowledged that over the years the Kashif and Shanghai tournament has become more than a sporting event for Linden,” he added.
Muhammad said the time had come for people to realize that the MSC was not fit any more to hold important social, educational, cultural and entertainment events adding that in his opinion the people of Linden deserved a better venue.
However, cognizant of the importance of the tournament to the community and the role the people of Linden have played over the years, the organisers are considering several avenues to compensate for moving the tournament and the effect that would have on the various sectors of the community.
Among the measures being contemplated are the negotiating of reduced fares with the transportation sector in Linden for persons wishing to travel to the National Stadium to see the 2008/9 final; making special seating arrangements for football fans from Linden including VIP’s from the community; providing up to 500 tickets for the final for Lindeners at a reduced cost and allocating a minimum of 40 free tickets with transportation for football fans in Linden who wish to see the final through door prizes to be drawn on December 26 and 28.
“What the Kashif and Shanghai organization will seek to do is to vigorously promote that week-end of football, including the Saturday, as a week-end of entertainment in order to enable a measure of economic compensation.
“In addition to these initiatives we are prepared to discuss any other reasonable and viable initiative that may help to alleviate the situation,” he added.
The Kashif and Shanghai football tournament is easily the most prestigious sporting event in Guyana and has been staged annually for close to two decades.
