Sports Minister issues Public Statement following facebook post

Apr 20, 2022 Sports

Kaieteur News – Minister of Sports Charles Ramson Jnr has issued a public statement following a facebook post made by Attorney Nigel Hughes and the APNU-AFC party. The post questioned payment for covid testing and meals at the Carifta Games athletes in Jamaica.
However, the Sports Minister highlighted the government’s contribution of $3M and also that the Sports Ministry nor the National Sports Commission were informed of any need for such support and or expenditure. Here is the full text of the Minister’s statement:
“Having just met with the President of the Athletics Association of Guyana, Mr Aubrey Hutson, members of the National Sports Commission, and the Director of Sports, the public is hereby advised that Mr Hutson has stated that there was never any need by our athletes at the CARIFTA Games for payment of covid testing and meals which the AAG was not in a position to handle from the support they received from the Government of Guyana and the Guyana Olympic Association, hence the reason why no additional assistance was sought from the Government of Guyana for these items as claimed in a facebook post by Nigel Hughes and the APNU-AFC.
The Ministry and the National Sports Commission has had dealings with the AAG and Mr Hutson for over a year and a half and have no reason to doubt the veracity of Mr Hutson’s express statement.”
“In fact, no media outlet has reported any situation of such a need, so one is left with no other choice but to conclude that the posts by Nigel Hughes and the APNU-AFC are false, self-serving, malicious and an attempt to gain cheap political points on the backs of our athletes representing Guyana when really we should be celebrating their outstanding success at the Games.
The public can be assured that there will never be a situation where our athletes are in another country and an unforeseen situation arises and this President Irfaan Ali led Government of Guyana will refuse to assist. In fact, the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission have done so many times already. A media video of the interview with Mr Hutson will be released shortly and Mr Hutson has agreed to issue a public statement today refuting the content of the post by Hughes.”
“Finally, the success of Guyana and young Guyanese on the international stage is important to all of us. Uniforms and payment for Covid testing while not unimportant, it is inappropriate to be raised while our athletes are competing. It breaks their focus and risks affecting their performance. If you genuinely want to see what is best for our athletes, then there is a time and a season to deal with issues – put them first – they deserve no less coming from people who claim to be interested in their welfare.”

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