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Main stakeholders need to build a Positive culture for Sports – GABF President
Charismatic President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) has etched his name in the history books by leading the nation to its first ever CBC basketball championship (FIBA Americup 2021 Caribbean Pre-Qualifier Champions) notwithstanding the many challenges and hurdles he faced as regards adequate sponsorship from the main stakeholders.
GABF President and Manager of Guyana, Nigel Hinds, (right)
embraces Ray Victor after the final at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal.
Hinds, a former national player was not able to win the title then has done it now though, as the leading administrator of the sport. His vision, determination and no nonsense style of leadership has paid admirable dividends for Guyana and its youths.
Hinds, has posited that the Government of Guyana and the Guyana Olympic Association needs to seriously invest and lobby in building a culture for Sports in Guyana. “We desperately need some sunlight from our leading Sporting Agencies.”
He shared that Vincent and the Grenadines, with a population of less than 110,000 spent over US$100,000 on their participation for the 2018 FIBA Caribbean Basketball Championships; primarily using Government and Olympic Association Funding.
Following are some of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) proposals based on the historical achievement: Measures that should be implemented for players and officials that represented Guyana, and won the 2018 FIBA Caribbean Basketball Championships; additionally the measures ought to be extended at similar or modified levels to other national athletes and Associations/Federations:
1. Duty free concession on non-commercial vehicles.
2. 1/4 acre of land for National Athletes who have served Guyana with distinction.
3. 1/2 acre of land for Association/Federation Headquarters.
4. Four years of free tuition at the University of Guyana for National Athletes.
5. Jobs for National Athletes commensurate with their qualifications and experience.
6. Low interest loans for home building, with a cap on the principal amount.
7. Financial incentives for each member/players and individuals of winning teams and or medaling individuals at Regional level Championships: at least $1 Million.
8. Low interest loans for business investment by National Athletes, for loans approved by a commercial bank, with a cap on the amount of investment.
9. Annual grants to National Federations/Associations. GABF $10 Million.
GABF President, Nigel Hinds (right) with the FIBA Americup 2021 Caribbean Pre-Qualifier Champions in Suriname.
10. Repayment of $4.3 Million owed by National Sports Commission to GABF, arising from Guyana’s hosting of the Caribbean Basketball U16 Games in 2016.
11. $10 Million contribution of funds by Government towards expenditures incurred and payable; for Guyana’s preparation and participation in the Men and Women 2018 FIBA Caribbean Basketball Championships.
Sport is at the heart of building National Cohesion, National Culture, mitigating racism and racial barriers, providing opportunity for our youths to reset, especially with the high level of school drop-outs and for those outside the academic system.
In an article dated March 18, 2018, labelled “Sport – A matter of life and death”, published in the Trinidad Guardian; Shaun Fuentes wrote: “Sport is a human institution, a universal phenomenon which serves to instill a sense of belonging or meaning to many individuals lives, a research paper stated. Let us not place value on athletes only, let us place value on the impact their profession has on humanity; the realization of athletes as commodities and sport as a political and financial aiding service will help reshape the perception that sport is merely a means of amusement and diversion from personal hardships.”
Hinds further noted: “We really are at a shattering point in our Sports Culture; when my Mother-in-law, Marcelline Mohamed, a retired teacher, perceives it necessary to offer to fund a dinner for the players and officials who won the June 2018 Caribbean Basketball Confederation Men Championships.”
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