Georgetown Cricket Club `not up for sale’

The executives of the Georgetown Cricket Club yesterday said they viewed with grave concern various articles appearing in the media regarding a business proposal from the New GPC /CPL OP CO and wished to categorically state the following:

1. The executives of the Georgetown Cricket Club never approached the New GPC to engage in any business proposal.

2. The executives of the Georgetown Cricket Club never met with the Directors of New GPC/CPL OP CO to discuss any proposal.

3. It was never the intention of the executives of the Georgetown Cricket Club to make any decision with the New GPC/CPL OP CO without consultation and mandate of membership

The statement came in a press release via Sagacity Media Inc.

It followed an announcement last week that New GPC/Limacol was withdrawing plans to establish a “world-class” stadium at Bourda following misrepresentations made in the press.

According to a press release issued by Queens Atlantic Investment Inc (QAII), the parent company of New GPC/Limacol, its proposal to the boards of the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) and the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) would also have seen the setting up of cricket and football academies that would have benefited the youths of Georgetown. However, it said that in the face of misconceptions created by a story which was published in the Kaieteur News, the company has decided that it will not proceed with the venture.

Principals of the Limacol brand, sponsors of the Limacol T-20 Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) and owners of the Guyana Amazon Warriors said in the release that it was an “opportunity lost to all Georgetown, Guyana and to the country’s youths who are inclined toward sports”.

The release stated that members of the GCC board had initiated discussions with representatives of the Limacol brand to have LCPL games scheduled at Bourda.

“During subsequent discussions, it was pointed out that as far back as the scheduling of the International Cricket Council (ICC) T-20 World Cup cricket tournament of 2007, the facilities at Bourda could not satisfy the criteria for international cricket at the highest level,” the release said. It noted that the facilities had continued to decline. According to QAII, concerned over the impact of this decline on Georgetown and on its cricket and football heritage in particular, from economic, social and sport development standpoints, it submitted its proposal.