NSC Swim programme off to rousing start in Essequibo

Jul 09, 2024 Sports

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Kaieteur Sports – In front of a large crowd of registrants from several environs, the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport (MCY&S), in collaboration with the National Sports Commission, launched the inaugural edition of the ‘Learn to Swim Programme’ in Essequibo on Saturday.

The opening ceremony, which featured several officials from both sporting entities, was staged at the Imam Bacchus Swimming Pool in Affiance, which will serve as the headquarters and facility for the programme.

Training sessions, which will be spearheaded by NSC’s head swimming Coach Paul Mahaica, will be conducted from 2:00pm-3:00pm and 3:00pm-4:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays, respectively for children, with adult sessions occurring on Sundays from 3:00pm-4:00pm. The dates for the entirety of the programme are July 7th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 26th, 27th, and 28th.

Delivering the feature address, Minister of MCY&S Charles Ramson Jr. said, “It’s important you mark the occasion with an event or activity that gives due regard for the recognition that it’s something new. We have had a lot of success with having this learn-to-swim programme in the various regions that we have been keeping it in. 13,000 people have already benefited from this programme; that’s 13,000 people in the last two years or so because one of the years was wiped out because of Covid. This is the first time we are doing it here, and this is a fantastic reception and a testament to the relationship and partnership that we are having with the private sector. I want to express my gratitude to the Imam Bacchus family for allowing us to use the facility, but this is an investment that we are making in you and your kids, and when you make these decisions on behalf of your children, these are life-changing and lifesaving decisions that you are making on behalf of them.”

Minister Ramson Jr. conceded that while, even as parents, decisions that are made for our children and ourselves are not always ideal, choices where opportunities arise on the back of government investment in its human capital, investments that are of no cost to the populace, are optimal for the long-term benefit and betterment of the citizenry.

Minister Ramson expounded, “The second part is also about being involved in organised activities. Just like at school, when you make the decision, it is no longer the case that there is a question about whether you should send your child to school. That is a universally accepted principle, with the exception of rare instances where homeschooling is a rare instance. Universally, the government provides educational opportunities for young people in their country because it is an important investment to make for the people of that country. Similarly, for organised activities, it is part of the training that they will receive so that it helps with their personal development. The more exposure that they have, your young kids and your loved ones, that they have organised activities, it helps with their training, it helps with their discipline, it helps with their ability to learn…”

In a similar vein, Director of Sports Steve Ninvalle said, “This is indeed a historic occasion; it’s historic because of the fact that it’s the first time that the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport and the National Sports Commission would be hosting such a swimming event in this part of Essequibo. This came through careful planning and a lot of hard work; it also replicates what is being done in region 10, in region 4, and I would like to say just to give you a little bit of information as to what has been happening in swimming since this government took over and since the Honourable Charles Ramson Jr. has been the Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport. In the last three years, we have had, up to now, 13890 persons who have been registered and who have learned to swim through this programme.”

According to Ninvalle, “I will give you a few numbers to show how we have been developing over the years. In 2022, we have 1750 participants for the year; in 2023, we would have had 5565; and this year, which has not been completed as yet, we already have 6575. Numbers don’t lie, and they show the steady progress that we have been making through the hard work at the NSC and Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport under the guidance of our Minister. Before, there would have been several learn-to-swim programmes that were held, but nothing over 200 participants were had, and, in those times, each and every person who would have registered would have been asked to pay a registration fee. Our minister removed that as soon as he came into office. It shows how much we care about this programme, and this is something that we would want to make sure through the One Guyana initiative and the One Guyana spirit to make sure that it can be held in as many regions as possible.”

He explained that the success of the programme is a consequence of the hard-work of all stakeholders involved, including his dedicated staff, who have shouldered the burden, noting that the safety of all participants is paramount and the guiding light upon which these initiatives are conducted.

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• and Sport (MCY&S), Learn to Swim Programme, Minister Charles Ramson Jr., Ministry of Culture, youth

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