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14th Annual Goodwill Swimming Championships: Compete with a spirit of brotherhood – Dr. Anthony
By Franklin Wilson
“Sports, is one of the things that brings people together and as you can see we have these countries here together.”
The words of the Honorable Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony as he delivered the charge to the athletes and declared open the 14th Goodwill Swimming Championships yesterday at Castellani Pool.
The athletes, masquerade band and Majorities braved the searing mid morning sun to participate in what was a very colorful opening ceremony and march-past.
Minister Anthony and President of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA), Phillip Walcott took the salute.
The opening proceedings which included the hoisting of the competing nation’s flags was chaired by national coach Joanne Lowe.
Colleen Profitt-Henry welcomed those present, while Walcott presented opening remarks, Charles Corbin did the officials oath, while combining to do the athletes oath were Janelle Bruce (Barbados), Faye Schuitemaker (Suriname), Walter Romany (Trinidad & Tobago) and Accalia Khan (Guyana).
One of the high points of the opening ceremony was the traditional Merging of the Waters where representatives from the participating nations together poured water into the pool.
Minister Anthony told the athletes, Coaches fans and special invitees that sports can be used as a tool to inculcate the right values including discipline and concentration in young people.
“Also from a very young age teach them to exercise which is also a very important thing since in the wider Caribbean today, a silent epidemic that is spreading is obesity which is due to lack of exercise or not eating the right foods.”
Dr. Anthony pointed out that he was very happy to see so many youths, who can be good ambassadors for their countries in spreading the good word of exercising and eating right.
He posited that while sport is very important, there are broader values that young people can bring to the rest of society, referring to obesity and the fact that the youth can be excellent role models in teaching their peers how to exercise and to do so appropriately.
The Ministry of Health is one of the sponsors of the Championships and distributed booklets containing valuable information on HIV Aids to all the athletes. Dr. Anthony noted that some of them are among the most vulnerable age group.
“We thought that by putting support behind this meet not only would we achieve our purposes of promoting swimming but we would also bring that nexus between swimming and why we need to promote preventative methods.
I think the young swimmers and officials who are here must help us to get these messages of prevention to the wider Caribbean which is very important.”
Dr. Anthony also congratulated the organising committee for a splendid job in putting all systems in place for what will certainly be a well organised meet.
He ended by extending an invitation for the visiting delegations to remain in the Land of Many Waters for the 10th Carifesta which is expected to be the best ever. It will be officially opened next Friday at the Providence Stadium.
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