Greene assumes GTTA leadership Greene assumes GTTA leadership

Aug 01, 2010 Sports

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As widely predicted, Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene yesterday assumed the leadership of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) when the association held its Annual General Meeting and Elections at the Zoom Inn International Hotel.
Greene and General Secretary, Godfrey Munroe were installed unopposed.
Among the plans of the new President is to facilitate a more active schools programme, develop the women’s aspect of the sport and develop the GTTA website to international standards.
Harold Hopkinson was voted in as the senior vice-president while Dr. Balram won junior vice-president. Greene will assume the office of President from Attorney-at-Law, Anil Nandlall, who had not expressed a willingness to run for a second term.
Greene was widely tipped for the post after the Commissioner stepped up with three programmes that assisted in the proliferation of the sport. Greene dolled out big bucks to the top performers of the Independence tournament and repeated that at a veteran’s event.
He then continued that tradition when he assisted the national senior team with tickets to travel to Puerto Rico for the Central American and Caribbean Games. Greene told Kaieteur Sport after the meeting that money is one of the greatest motivators for athletes.
“Nothing motivates people like money; we know, apart from the things we have discussed before, that we will be meeting on Tuesday because one of the requirements of Ministry (of Sports) is that associations submit their programmes if they are to get any help,” Greene informed.
He said his role will be in every factor of table tennis; the schools, popularisation of the sport and in homes. Greene said that the association will be working assiduously to ensure that the sport gets the necessary input to make it a successful outfit.
“One of the other things is that we will look at corporate bodies coming on board. Right now, we have a lot of the big organisations back into table tennis.
One of the games they are all playing is table tennis,” the Commissioner of Police indicated.
Greene believes that he has to work closely with Munroe to get the success he is hoping to achieve.
He said that currently the association is indebted and from the pledges they have received, that debt should be offset in a matter of days.
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English Pro League footballer Ricky Shakes to play for GFF All Stars

Ebbsfleet United winger, Ricky Shakes whose father is Guyanese has confirmed that he will be representing the GFF All Stars in the upcoming International Exhibition Football match against Cray Wanderers Football Club of the UK on Sunday August 8, 2010 at the Dulwich Hamlet Football Club Ground in London England.
Shakes, who has played in over 120 Professional League Games in the English division 1 and 2 Leagues is aiming to represent Guyana on the International circuit.
According to Director of Temptations Promotions Ltd. Faizal Khan whose company is partnering with the Guyana Football Federation to bring off next Sunday’s game which forms part of the 150th Anniversary Programme for Cray Wanderers, Shakes will be the first English Professional League player to play for Guyana.
“Ricky is the first of a number of Pro Anglo Guyanese players to step forward and I believe he will not be the last this year. I can say that plans are well underway for the game and the hype is building with tickets going fairly well to date.” Shakes began his career at Bolton Wanderers in 2004 and made his debut in an FA Cup third-round replay against Tranmere Rovers in January 2004 scoring a last-minute equaliser to take the match into extra time. He made no league appearances for Bolton and after spells on loan with Bristol Rovers and Bury, joined Swindon Town in July 2005.
Shakes made almost 70 league appearances in two seasons at Swindon and during the 2005–06 season, made his international debut, coming on as a half-time substitute for Trinidad and Tobago in a 2–0 victory against Iceland in March 2006.
Shakes, was released by Swindon at the end of the 2006–07 season, and joined Brentford in August 2007 after training with the club during the summer. He scored a late goal on his debut in September 2007 to give Brentford victory at Bury, and made 39 league appearances before being released at the end of the 2007–08 season. He joined Conference National club Ebbsfleet United in July 2008.
With the Digicel Caribbean Cup a few months away, Shakes’ availability will be an added boost for Guyana which will be aiming to win the Caribbean Championship and qualify for the CONCACAF Gold Cup which will emulate the Lady Jags’ historic achievement.

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