Better late than never

Aug 20, 2009 Sports

Time to setup Sports Development Council

By Rawle Welch
The move recently by the Ministry of Sport to assist the national Squash team’s participation at the senior Caribbean Championships should be applauded by all.
The Ministry, though at a rather low key presentation (Kaieteur Sport had no knowledge of the ceremony), handed out $300,000 to the Guyana Squash Association shortly before the team departed for the Cayman Islands.
This is the kind of injection many sports need to enhance their development and to consistently expose those involved in the respective disciplines.
This missive is a bit late in coming, but I would like to assure the Ministry that its support to the Squash fraternity did not escape my attention and had it not been for my busy schedule, a piece congratulating the Ministry would have been done earlier.
However, better late than never, but my fervent hope is that the support does not stop there, but rather is spread equally across the spectrum.
The Squash team rightly deserves all the assistance they managed to obtain and this is due mainly to their outstanding performances and encouraging results at all the major competitions they’ve attended over the past four years.
Some disciplines require initial backing to reach a level of competitiveness, while others are fortunate to have competent leadership which very often guarantees success from the start.
To compare what had occurred before, I must concur, so far this year, the Ministry has been more supportive and this could be backed up by a few interventions that were made, opening with the procurement of improved equipment for the Power Lifting Body, the attempt to organise sports in the villages in many regions, the resumption of construction work on the Olympic-size Swimming Pool, the re-surfacing of the tennis courts at Non Pariel, the installation of a sports library at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall among others.
However, the focus must also be on helping those disciplines that could do with some genuine assistance such as boxing and athletics which had served us well in the past and is crying out for substantial support.
This is not to say that many other sports are not howling for support as well, but because these two long-established performers’ credentials are well known, it would seem sensible to invest in their development.
You just have to recall the performances of June Marcia Griffith, Vigil Lewis, James Wren Gilkes, Dennis Collison, Elton Jefford, Clifton Schultz, Waveney Benn, Oliver Alves, Brian Muller, Winfield Braithwaite, Patrick Ford, Terrence Alli, Raul Frank, Michael Benjamin, Clevon Rock, Clive Atwell and I can go on and on and you will see why the appeal for their support is justified.
They both have proven track records; they both put Guyana on the map of achievement in sports and fittingly merit a chunk of the Ministry’s financial pie.
Just for the sake of advice, it is time we try to carbon copy the development programme (s) of some of our Caribbean counterparts and this blue print should be placed in the care of a specially established Sports Development Council mandated to facilitate the growth of certain disciplines.
This Body must be financially well equipped with a direct ruling to fast track certain sports, but must be largely independent and free to make tough decisions.
This is the pattern in countries such as Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica and we’ve seen the success of those two small islands.
It must not be stymied by intrusive officials, but must be self-regulating in its discharge.
The less political interference there is the likelihood of positive results and holistic development will be accomplished.

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