Kumar invites b/ball sub-associations to meeting Monday

Aug 05, 2009 Sports

– “future plans” of sport cited as main reason

By Edison Jefford

Director of Sport Neil Kumar has invited the Presidents or representatives of the two sub-associations of basketball to a meeting on Monday where they are to discuss the “future plans” of the sport after the death of Godwin McPherson.

Abdullah Hamid

Trevor Rose

At the time of his death last Monday, retired Guyana Defence Force Colonel McPherson was President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF). He has left a void atop the national federation in an election year.

Kaieteur Sport learnt from a source yesterday that Kumar had sent letters of invitation to both the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) and the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) inviting them to meet.

The letter, which this newspaper was privy to, stated that the main reason for the meeting was to discuss the “future plans of basketball in Guyana”. McPherson had spent some 18 years atop the national basketball federation.

Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony had called for a more proactive and functional GABF at a recent press conference. He said that the federation ought to be doing more work that will propel the sport into the mainstream locally.

Neil Kumar

The move to have an active role in reforming the federation can be seen as a means of the ministry’s hands-on approach with sports. Kumar had made it clear time and time again that he will seek greater input into basketball this year.

The collaborative effort to stage the 2009 National Schools’ Basketball Festival was part of that initiative. He had also talked about schools’ programmes to develop the sport with the Ministry of Education playing a major role.

President of the Linden sub-association, Abdullah Hamid has confirmed receiving notice of Monday’s meeting and said that he will be attending with some questions pertaining to Government’s financial input into local basketball.

President of the GABA Trevor Rose is also expected to attend the meeting with Secretary Robert Cadogan. It is possible that at the end of the forum, the much-anticipated date for the GABF AGM and Elections will be determined.