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Where are our sporting heroes Guyana?

Mar 22, 2011 Sports

Sports Editor,
Please permit me to air a concern in your column that is of much interest to us as a people. A few nights ago I listened attentively to President Jagdeo as he delivered the feature address at the NSC awards ceremony.
He stressed about the shortcomings in the sporting sector and duly identified some plusses.
I reside at Melanie on the ECD, and would drive pass the Happy Acres/ Montrose area on a daily basis. About a year and a half ago to present I witnessed on a daily basis a pint sized man, grey and of Indian origin.
Mr. Editor this man would burst out with a sudden speed covering a distance of a 100-150m heading to the Rupert Craig highway. Pretty curious to know who the guy really was, I related this to an old apprentice buddy. He said to me, “Shep that’s Pooran Kattaballi”, I told him he was mad. This morning as I drove past the guy once more, I shouted “POORAN”, he answered to his name, I was dumbstruck to confirm my greatest fear.
Immediately my mind went right back to 1994 when I was a second year apprentice at Guysuco Training Centre, I was a middle distance athlete. I competed that year in the 3000m flat, competing against a close pal and fierce rival, both sportingly and academically, Mr. Wrigon “BUTTO” Wright who is now a lecturer at GITC.
I out sprinted Mr. Wright in that event, he was blue and bitter for in excess of two weeks because he does not like to lose. I went on to represent the Training Centre at that event the same year at the Blairmont Community Centre Ground.
At the starting line was myself, Steven ‘Engine’ Jacobs, Hooper from Albion, Pooran and Drepaul Kataballi and some others. We were soundly trashed by the Kattaballi brothers with Pooran the more illustrious of the two winning the event. My point is that this illustrious middle distance runner Pooran Kattaballi, is now a destitute and roam the road half naked and appears to be of unsound mind.
Mr. Alfred King the PS at the Ministry of Sports uses the same route on a daily basis in either the Sports Ministry’s vehicle PMM 3030 or his Hilux Vigo, sporting ‘PEACEMAKER’ on the sides.
Mr. King cannot tell me that he never encountered Mr. Kattaballi. It’s a shame and a travesty to pass one of our country’s better athletes begging bread and our sports Ministry boasts daily about allocation of funds. I am a diehard West Indian supporter and pays keen attention where ever they play. Arnos Vale playing field in St. Vincent and the Grenadines comes to mind.
The commentators would refer to a magnificent structure emerging from behind the hills, that’s the home of PAMENOS BALLENTINE. Mr. Editor this is a lavish mansion built for this athlete who competed in the same events and reigned the same time as Kattaballi. This is purely a shame on the sporting administration as a whole. People please remember that our greatest boxer, Terrence Ali is destitute in Mahaicony. I will use this opportunity to challenge the people in the sporting administration to correct this misfortune, Mr. Jagdeo this is an opportunity to leave an indelible mark on Guyana, build a home for our sports personalities who would have run amok or foul of the laws of society.
Dr Frank Anthony, who is seen as a beacon of success or one of the better Ministers of this administration, should take a stand and ensure that that Pooran gets treatment and placed on the path of full recovery. Mr. King, observation is part of your job as a PS and a mentor, so there are no excuses for not even paying a curious mind to Kattaballi running past your vehicle daily sometimes half naked and still seems as though he has the speed to threaten Usain Bolt.
Fellow Guyanese there are more like Pooran out there and more are getting there, we need to halt this downward spiral of our sporting heroes. With all the facilities being built, this is the way the sportsmen will be treated after their careers?
R. R. Shepherd

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