Transformation of sports needed in Essequibo

Apr 02, 2011 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Quite frustratingly, the mood in Essequibo, regarding the various sporting disciplines, is one of despair.
There is a desperate cry that reverberates for a revolutionary break through. Nothing infuriates me more than the pitiful sight of our naturally gifted athletes of national material that are hopelessly parading the streets, simply because there is no serious redress for honing their untapped skills.
In fact they are ever present and cumulatively active in the liquor restaurants than on the playing fields. Based on the evidence, none of the various sporting disciplines with the exception of cricket and to a lesser extent weightlifting are there Essequibians being selected to represent this country.
Such testimony virtually reflects an extinct foundation of formal sporting clubs and technically, unresponsive personnel, who it appears, are unable to rise to the mounting challenges that are daily becoming unsolved mysteries. It is no secret as well that most of our athletes that have gained national recognition, would have done so by being forced to migrate to Georgetown and even further afield in pursuit of their dreams; otherwise pessimistically, the thought of remaining in Essequibo is spelt with the recipe for obscurity and disappointment.
As history unfolds, the tale of Eldorado emerges in resemblance to the largest county that apparently will never get to fulfill her true potential.
Upon reflection, the sombre, lazifaire and otherwise unimaginable laxity that evaporate into the air of Essequibo’s sporting testicles continues so often, until the instant realisation that there is a star in the making.
The sudden buzz becomes the obligatory but repetitive tone where the promising athlete is adored, but unfortunately mostly in classical words rather than dutiful deeds. Most of our bright prospects from varying eras and including Alfred Maycock, John Floyd, Trenton Peters, Dinesh Joseph, Clain Williams and Fidel Cameron to list a few, have all fell to the illusion of an Essequibian dream that should have propelled their cricketing careers to greater heights.
On the contrary, just think of Ramnaresh Sarwan who was born and grew up in Wakenaam and Ivor Mendonca who is a Bartician. They inevitably had to leave the docile country life from an early age for the opportunistic if not uncertain traits of the city.
Their success is now history as they have brought pleasure and joy to millions of spectators around the world and not forgetting their parents who would have made that bold step in creating a pathway when there was none.
To date, the situation in Essequibo is even more desperate as the play grounds are becoming battle fields for animals; hence the desire to train and practice is miniscule, club houses are no longer relevant and so are the club structures, their constitution and even the code of conduct that is identified with the discipline of any effective organisation.
Indiscipline instead permeates every sphere of sports in the county, that not only threatens the economic and social fabric of our society, but there is a disturbing phenomenon where the lesser educated individuals are the ones with the real talent, but they are being misled and ultimately have proven to be the victims of illegal net working and inactiveness.
The Government, through the Ministry of Sports would have done well in continuing to provide sports equipment to several (defunct) organizations, including for football, table tennis, volley ball and boxing.
However, the question to be asked is to what extent are the gear being meaningfully utilized and have the administrators got value for money? Simply, there are very few conscientious administrators whose task is conclusively negligible, since the passive environment does not provide much hope.
Unless there is a resolute and quantum leap in reshaping our thinking and action which must replace the existing organisational embodiment that remains blatantly erratic, spontaneous and callously inept; nothing realistic will emerge that will place Essequibo towards the epitome of national recognition and pride for our local athletes.
Understandably the general morale and an earnest desire to succeed in sports has lost that competitive edge where the lessons of the past in which an athlete had to merit his place has given way to a structurally corrupt system that continues to poison any attempt at rejuvenating our institutional and mental capacity that has the potential to produce world rated sportsmen and women.
It therefore means that no amount of qualified coaches will unearth encouraging results if the root of our sporting tree (club structure) is not sufficiently and continuously watered, so that the branches (athletes) can studiously and practically be given the scope to blossom.
While the present predicament should not be underestimated; I continue to believe in the words of the President of the United States of America, Barrack Obama, who famously ushered “Yes you can!” Essequibians are therefore heeded to the call to be united in our efforts to believe that we can and will make a difference in sports which at the moment is hidden in our blood and wants to freely flow!
There is no better timing than now and perhaps those greedy and selfish office bearers that cling on to power for the fame of it can politely create the winds of change that will inevitably pave the way for a complete transformation of sports in Essequibo.
Elroy Stephney

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