The Way Forward

Sep 13, 2012 Sports

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Dear Editor,
Over the last three years or so, there has been much embarrassment in our sporting arenas. Cricket, Football, Boxing, Athletics and more recently Guyana Olympic Association to name a few sports organisations have all experienced their fair share of adverse publicity. The blame game has been played with fingers pointing all around. We however know that old adage that says “when one finger is pointed outwards four are pointed inwards” to the pointer.
In the present circumstances this is so true; we are all to blame for the present embarrassing and unacceptable state of affairs with our sports.
The Government, the Opposition, Sporting Organisations, Media Operators and the public at large must all take the blame for we have stood by and allowed it to happen. We refrained from policing the operations, we accommodated mediocrity and dishonesty while permitting promiscuous and lawless administrative practices, including financial unaccountability, to pervade the sports organisations with impunity. What else could we expect? Our sports ensemble was destined for the free fall it has eventually experienced.
1. It is now time to seriously address the situation and take positive, purposeful and practical positions on how to remedy the malaise; this deep seated abscess, this national catastrophe that plagues our Society.
To start with the Government and the Opposition must put aside petty adversarial practices in order to correct this unending dilemma in the interest of our nation.
2. In their approach they should seriously consider the reformation of the National Sports Commission as a legal body, restructured to supervise and regulate the operations of all National Sports Organisations.  The rules and role of the N.S.C must be refined and redefined to assign clear lines of authority and responsibility to the agency. Its mandate must be unambiguous.
The members of the NSC must be carefully selected by Government, the Opposition and Member Organisations along with other important Stakeholders.
Member Organisations must report to the NSC annually on:-
(a) Administrative and Financial matters including long, medium and short term plans and projections  sources of funds, annual audited financial statements, current income and expense statements.
Constitution/rules of the organisation and any other information the Commission requires.
The NSC will be responsible for recommending to the Ministry of Sport for inclusion in its overall Budget financial requirements for the member Organisations based on their presentations, while also assisting in attracting the attention of interested sponsors for the various sports organisations.
3. Another area that needs to be addressed is the establishment of a National Sports Academy.
Scope: The concept of an academy evolved from the Greek Philosopher Plato who felt that any progressive nation must prepare for its future by selecting elite, young scholars and educate them in a conducive environment; so that they can become the leaders of the future. The Academy was therefore formed as a school of excellence primarily designed for future leaders.
In a somewhat similar vein, today, we must emulate the very concept of the great Plato and establish a revised version, in the form of “A National Sports Academy” which offers the opportunity for our youngsters to pursue a career (leadership roles) within the sports discipline of their choices.
This National Sports Academy must embrace all the sports disciplines including cricket, football, table tennis lawn tennis, hockey, squash athletics etc providing every opportunity for youngsters to excel while, ensuring that their educational requirements are not in any way diminished or otherwise adversely affected.
Target Groups – : The academy will target the following groups:
(a) Primary school attendees ages 6-11 years old.
(b) Secondary school attendees ages 11-16 years old.
(c) Seniors who require corrective action to their technique or approach with respect to a particular sport or educational deficiency.
(d) Students desirous of pursuing tertiary accreditation as a follow up to successful areas of endeavour pursued at the academy.
Curriculum -: The main objective will be to bring together kids from different social backgrounds, different cultures, different areas into a boarding school type, live-in environment to study and play together towards common goals. To give them self confidence camaraderie and foster lasting relationships which could make them more rounded individuals and better citizens even if not super sportsmen or sportswomen.
Their studies will include basic school subjects, within the normal education system along with studies in the specific area of sports that they are pursuing.
The Gender Friendly Facilities-: must include dormitories, gym, lecture theatres, class rooms, indoor facilities, Hall of fame/library/museum geared to be fully computerised with state of the art technology and unlimited information on the various sports disciplines, including historical , records, statistics etc.
Location – : The location proposed is the GCC ground Bourda with the GFC, CASH, National Park and Leonora Athletic track as annexes for outdoor and indoor activities.
The structures, dorms, etc could be constructed around the perimeter of the GCC ground starting at the Kenny Wishart Stand and going all around to the Rohan Kanhai stand. The design and aesthetical requirements could be worked out by a competent architect with inputs from a select committee set up for the project.
Cost – : The capital cost could be determined after preliminary designs are prepared and operational costs ascertained after the administrative staffing structure is discussed and decided upon.
Funding -: Funds for the project could be acquired from a variety of sources including Government, Commercial Banks, Beverage Companies, Insurance Companies and other corporate agencies along with fees from those students attending. Tax Benefits could be offered to willing sponsors.
It is my view that the Academy could be governed by a Board of Directors who will be responsible for all policy-making while day to day operations can be managed by a secretariat headed by a CEO and competent administrative staff. Session leaders/Teachers are to be carefully selected on the basis of their competence and qualifications.
The benefits of an Academy of this nature would provide the opportunity for us to produce on a continuous basis, high quality well rounded young citizens who will be an asset to our country.
The future of our sportsmen and sportswomen would be guaranteed even after their competitive years are over.
The Academy could be self-sustaining if it is properly and objectively set up with the right management personnel.
Our sports need the academy! Our children need the Academy!  Guyana needs the academy!
So let us unite in this national endeavour, the Government, the opposition and all Guyanese let us prove that we could at least unite on this issue in the interest of our nation.
The foregoing constitutes my views of the first steps on the way forward which, if properly instituted will make it easier for the others to fall into place.
We would then be in a better position to counter any opposition, particularly, the deliberate well orchestrated conspiracy being perpetrated at the WICB against Guyana’s Cricket, Cricketers, Cricketing Public and Government; which our Director’s support by their deafening silence whilst enjoying the “perks” of supposedly representing this country.
God be with us.
Claude Raphael

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