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Void left atop national federation
By Edison Jefford
The basketball fraternity is mourning the death of Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) President Godwin McPherson after the usually candid official left this world late Monday afternoon shocking friends and family.
Godwin McPherson
McPherson became a patient at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital after suffering a ‘Stroke’ two Sundays ago but Kaieteur Sport could not ascertain from the institution the cause(s) of his death yesterday.
Officials from the ‘Nursing Services’ unit of the hospital told this newspaper that they are not permitted to give out such information while McPherson’s family were too distraught to comment on the basketball administrator’s loss.
Assistant Secretary of the GABF, Ian Andrews said that McPherson’s demise leaves a lot of work to be done in restructuring the basketball federation. “I will try to carry on and get things in order,” Andrews solemnly indicated.
Andrews, who was very close to McPherson in the administration of the sport, said that a definite void remains after the GABF head passing. He informed that a wake will be held under the aegis of the basketball community.
“I now have to check the hierarchy of the federation to see who is there,” Andrews stated when asked about new leadership of the federation. McPherson was interested in being re-elected President before his sudden demise.
This year is an election year for the GABF and Andrews believes that the Annual General Meeting must not be for the purpose of expediency but rather, a process of electing someone with similar passion as McPherson.
“We want someone that actually has the sport at heart,” Andrews said. McPherson will be missed for his candid approach to the management of national basketball. His out-spoken character was the source of many difficulties.
McPherson became GABF President in 1991 and served in the position until his death, he hosted Senior Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships in 1994 and the junior version of the prestigious event five years later.
National basketball players that received scholarships under his leadership include Sean Semple, Edgar Thomas, Lancelot Loncke, Remington Ram, Orin Mohan, Lorenzo Withrite and Carl Jackman among others.
One of Guyana’s best results at the Caribbean or CARICOM Championships came when McPherson was at the helm of the GABF. Guyana placed second after losing to Barbados in the final when the GABF hosted in 1994.
Lack of funding prevented Guyana from attending the Centro Basketball Championships, which would have been the furthest McPherson would have taken a national team under the International Basketball Federation structure. He was able to also build a relationship with the Washington D.C Jammers, a team which was at one time the primary fund raising fixture for the federation. McPherson attempted to host his second senior Caribbean event this year.
The Funeral Service for the late McPherson is tentatively set for Saturday at the Church of the Transfiguration on Mandela Avenue, following a viewing at Merriman’s Funeral Parlour. He will be buried at Lichfield, West Berbice.
The GABF head and former Guyana Defence Force colonel, who once acted as Chief-of-Staff in the absence of Joseph Singh, celebrated his 62nd birthday this year also leaves to mourn his wife and two children based overseas.
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