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Aug 26, 2015 Sports
The Hinterland Youth and Sport Development Association (HYSDA) that was founded in 2011, has re-emerged with a scheduled meeting to re-elect Executive Members set for Friday at 4pm at the Guyana Olympic Association Headquarters in
Kingston.
Founder of HYSDA, Mark Rodrigues, who runs the association from the Rupununi, Region Nine was adamant that he will get the association functional again, following a period of dormancy. “I am very determined to get us back on track,” he told Kaieteur Sport.
According to Rodrigues, he has to produce the results with the association given the fact that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has invested “hundreds of thousands” to train him in their Leadership for Results Programme.
“After we became dormant, we still did some work and we want to thank those persons who had support us. Those include, Ming’s Product and Services, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Andrew Chow Mining Company, Mark Grimmond and Air Services Limited,” Rodrigues indicated.
He said that this time around, he will be seeking to engage a more “dynamic” workforce and will be interfacing with proficient sport personnel. Rodrigues identified Lavern Fraser-Thomas as one such individual he plans to engage along with Andrea Flores.
“They will play a critical role in the association,” he said. The HYSDA had developed an Action Plan in 2011 to bring a more structured approach to the development of hinterland youth, most of who participate in sport.
The Action Plan covered a wide-range of HYSDA activities, among them were fund-raisers, courtesy calls on all major embassies, liaison with other sport associations in an effort to build stakeholder support and general representation.
The mission statement of the HYSDA then was: “The Hinterland Youth and Sport Development Association will be a forerunner to strengthen and formalise youth and sport clubs, assisting with talented athletes and students from geographically difficult hinterland communities/villages in an order to enhance recognition both nationally and internationally.”
In its genesis, now Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe served as Vice-Chairman of the HYSDA.
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