The government is seeking contractors for two cricket academies at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara and Albion, Berbice, with engineer’s estimates adding up to almost G$1.3 billion. The Good Hope facility was announced more than two years ago, alongside a promise that West Indies legend Sir Clive Lloyd would lead it.
The tenders
According to Kaieteur News, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has published two invitations for bids:
- Good Hope, ECD: engineer’s estimate of G$745.3 million;
- Albion, Region Six: engineer’s estimate of G$552.9 million.
Kaieteur News described the combined total as G$1.2 billion; the two figures in fact add up to about G$1.3 billion. Bids are due to be opened on November 19, 2026 at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board.
A long road from announcement
In August 2024, President Irfaan Ali announced the Good Hope academy, telling the public: “I am very pleased to say that Sir Clive Lloyd will be joining us full time in Guyana,” according to the Department of Public Information. In September 2024, the ministry set aside close to G$100 million to clear, fill and level the Good Hope site, a tender that attracted 67 contractors.
In April 2025, during the election campaign in Berbice, Ali announced plans to turn the Albion Sports Complex into a world-class academy, including a hostel and refurbished stands, even as a separate new stadium was being built in the region.
More than two years after the first announcement, neither academy has a construction contractor.
Questions for the ministry
- What has been spent so far on site preparation at Good Hope, and is that work complete?
- What is the role and status of Sir Clive Lloyd’s promised involvement?
- How does Albion fit with the new stadium planned for the same region, and what will it cost to run both?
Investment in youth cricket is welcome. But big-ticket announcements made during campaigns should come with clear timelines, published budgets and a plan for long-term operating costs. The 2026 budget allocated G$6 billion to sport, including G$1.3 billion for grounds maintenance and upgrades, according to the Finance Minister.
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