Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
GLTA President pleads for more support from media
Christopher Ram
– Using corporate clout to realise projects
By Rawle Welch
In an effort to increase visibility of the sport, President of the Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA) Christopher Ram organised a Lunch Meeting with members of the media on Friday, at Ram & McRae Head Office on Waterloo Street.
According to Ram, who was acting on behalf of the GLTA, the collective view of the executive is that the sport is not enjoying the desired publicity which could allow it to enter into the mainstream on the local sports agenda.
The effervescent President, who took over after the last elections has been wielding his corporate influence since his arrival on the scene and is mainly responsible for the resuscitation of a number of clubs as well as the formation of a few, within the three counties of Guyana.
Ram, who has also retained Business Consultant Brian King to help broaden and improve the image of the sport called on the media to assist the Association in its aim to reignite interest in the game among Guyanese.
Once a very vibrant spectator sport in the 70’s and 80’s, it took a sharp decline after the exodus of many of the leading players overseas as well as the reduction of playing venues.
According to the President, despite the Government’s denial of direct funding from the National Budget, he does not intend to just throw up arms and allow the current status quo to persist, but rather proposes to utilise his corporate clout to achieve some of the projected programmes set out by Association.
“Even though we’ve been refused direct financial assistance from the Minister of Sport, we’re not going to let that curtail some of the plans that we have, instead we will be working even harder to accomplish those goals,” Ram stated.
Recently, the GLTA was instrumental in helping to resuscitate clubs in Berbice, while one at Le Ressouvenir on the East Coast of Demerara is scheduled to be launched next Wednesday, at 18:00 hrs.
He also disclosed that the GLTA is presently locked in discussions with officials from the Mayor and City Council pertaining to the use of a section of Parade ground and a plot of land in Bel Air to construct tennis courts.
According to Ram, he has been able to solicit firm commitments from a few business entities about their willingness to assist in the construction of those courts.
Meanwhile, the GLTA has just concluded one of its fund-raising events to raise money to send a national team of five young players, three boys and two girls accompanied by two coaches to the World Junior Tennis Championships preliminaries which is to be held in Trinidad from March 29th – April 3rd 2010 at the Eddie Taylor Tennis Courts. King George V Grounds St. Clair.
Ram told the media that the project which was a take-away-lunch was able to raise an impressive $530,000.
The competition which is being held for the first time in the Caribbean will feature the top players in the region who aspire to participate in the finals which will be held in the Czech Republic from August 2nd to 7th.
The players selected are Daniel Lopes, Gavin Lewis, Khalif Gobin, Nicola Ramdyhan, Aretta Dey, while Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan and Ezra Sue-Ho will serve as the Coaches.
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