By Stabroek News
鈥 Guyana recommits to hosting prestigious regional competition
By Michelangelo Jacobus
In a historic moment for the sport locally, chess in Guyana is set to get its very own permanent home. This was the landmark announcement made at the official launch of the 2nd CARICOM Classic Chess Tournament, held last evening at the Pegasus Corporate Suites, Georgetown.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr. confirmed that construction of a dedicated building for chess will begin this year, with completion slated for 2026. 鈥淐hess has never had a better friend than it has now in President Irfaan Ali and this government,鈥 Ramson declared, adding, 鈥淭he tenders are already out, and I鈥檓 confident in our ability to deliver on that promise.鈥
This major development came amid the ceremonial opening of the CARICOM Classic and the newly added CARICOM Junior Chess Tournament (U16), introduced in recognition of CARICOM鈥檚 50th anniversary. The tournament, hosted on the grounds of the Pegasus Corporate Suites, features teams from across the region, including Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Suriname, Dominica, the Cayman Islands, and three teams from host nation Guyana.