Latest update April 2nd, 2025 8:00 AM
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More CARIFTA Games drama!
– GOA being asked to front US$12,000 charter bill incurred by AAG
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur News – As parents and well-wishers assembled today to welcome home the Guyana-based athletes, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) is being asked to front a $12,000 (GY$2.4m) charter bill incurred by the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) through the Bahamas Olympic Committee.
BOC president Romell Knowles
AAG president Aubrey Hutson
According to information received (with evidence), in a last-ditch effort by the AAG to get the team to games in Nassau on time, a flight was chartered, with the help of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) president Mike Sands, from Havana, Cuba, to The Bahamas.
The last-minute effort from the AAG came after they were unable to secure flights to the Bahamas a day prior to the Games’ opening ceremony on Good Friday.
However, upon completion of the games, the Government of Guyana, after learning of the team’s inability to find their way home on Monday during the final day of the championship, took over the responsibility of the team.
GOA president Godfrey Munroe
Nonetheless, the GOA was contacted by the president of the Bahamas Olympic Committee, Romell Knowles, asking that the cost of $12,000 incurred to take the team to the Bahamas be paid to the private charter in the Bahamas, since they’ve been unable to contact AAG president, Aubrey Hutson.
He stated to the GOA that the BOC could pay the bill, which means that Guyana would be in debt to the Bahamas Olympic Committee since their concern is payment to the private charter.
When contacted today, Hutson said he’s unaware of a $12,000 bill, stating that the NACAC president never told him about a cost attached to the charter from Cuba to The Bahamas.
The AGG president said he received $3m from the GOA, and $3m from the National Sports Commission (NSC) while also collecting over $3m from sponsors. Hutson, in several interviews, said the money was not the issue.
At the time of making this report, Kaieteur News was unable to get a comment from the GOA on whether the country’s Olympic Committee will make the $12,000 payment on behalf of the AAG.
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