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Sports Minister lauds GNRA
Commodore Gary Best (centre) joins the awardees as they show off their trophies at the Georgetown Club last evening.
By Sean Devers
President of the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA) Commodore Gary Best came out with all guns blazing at the Association’s annual Awards ceremony at the Georgetown Club last night and called for more recognition for the sport in Guyana from the Media and state agencies.
Best told the gathering that the GNRA has been a quiet but efficient Association this year despite always having to perform against the odds when compared to other sports in Guyana.
He said that sports like Cricket and Football are major sports in Guyana that get plenty of attention from the media and public while Rifle shooting is a low profile sport.
“Cricket and Football are the big sports but if you look at where those sports are in terms of success as compared to Rifle Shooting you will see that our work is very commendable,” Best noted.
He also thanked the Ministry of Housing for the plot of land in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo to establish a Riffle range but added that he hoped that land could be exchanged for somewhere closer to the City.
“I am proud that this year has been a good one for Guyana’s Rifle shooting and whatever we do will have fairness and balance.,” Best concluded.
Former Deputy Commissioner of Police and National Rifleman Paul Slow pointed out that Rifle shooting is one of the most disciplined sports because of the weapons and live rounds involved. He also spoke about Guyana’s experience at the Commonwealth games in India this year and said that the GNRA must be in contention as the National Sports Commission prepare for next month’s National Sports Awards.
Slow disclosed that next year Antigua will host the West Indies fullbore competition for the first time and was confident that Guyana will become the first country to win the Short Range title for five consecutive years. Guyana are also the defending Long Range champions.
Slow pointed out that unlike Cricket and Football, Rifle shooting has to depend on sponsors since it is not really a spectator sport and cannot gain funds from the ‘gates’ even at top local competitions.
This year was a successful one for Guyana who competed in the Goodwill competition in Antigua and the West Indies Fullbore competition in Barbados when Ransford Goodluck emerged as the individual champion and Guyana won the Short Range title for the first time in Barbados.
This country also won two of three Junior (4-man) team events in England and also gained valuable experience at the Commonwealth games in India.
Sports Minister Dr Frank Anthony, who took office in 2006, was described by Slow as ‘very supportive of Rifle shooting’ and said Guyana’s Riflemen had performed better with more competitions and had put Guyana on the World Stage with their participation in places like England and India.
“The Government is very proud of their showing at the Commonwealth games and not many local sporting Associations have the vision they have shown,” Dr Anthony said.
The Sports Minister feels that other Organisations can learn from them as he pointed out that Rifle shooting is a specialized sport and not a game to be taken lightly.
“I have had discussions about getting a proper Shooting gallery where people can go and practice but one of the things of concern is the danger it might pose to the community that it is set up in. I have been told of all the safety requirements that will be installed for stray bullets so that the residents will feel safe,” Anthony said.
Anthony said such a facility is badly needed and said traveling to the Timehri Range is a long trip for those who want to practice, adding that it is also an expensive sport since each shot fired in practice cost a lot.
The Sports Minister hinted that the GNRA is among the Associations being considered for the Sports Association of the year award and said that for the first time since the National Sports Awards began in 1948 and Guyana’s first Sportsman of the year was named in the 1950, a comprehensive 50-page document has been produced to guide those selecting the awards this year.
“We have such a wide variety of sports now and we spent a lot of time putting together a document on the criteria to make the selecting of the Award a fairer process. I urge the Associations to document all that they have done for the year in their submission to the NSC by the first week of next year,” Anthony said.
Prizes for outstanding performers at the National Championships were also presented with national Captain Mahendra Persaud taking home the bulk of the trophies up for grabs.
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