$200M for sports from Lotto
By Michael DaSilva
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Gail Teixeira, told a wide cross section of sports personalities and invited guests that $200M from the proceeds of the Lotto revenue will go towards the development of activities for Youth, Sports and Culture. The Minister was the time delivering the main address at the National Sports Awards Presentation, at the Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel, on Friday evening. Ms Teixeira also said that a Technical Advisory Committee, will be established to charter a course of action for the proposed National Sports Stadium, which is to be built on a 200-acre plot of land at Diamond, East Bank Demerara. The committee will prioritise the facilities required as the construction will be done in phases. In a revealing address, Minister Teixeira challenged the Ministry of Education to continue Physical Education in schools anticipates that an award for journalists and physically challenged will be awarded at the function next year. Teixeira also reiterated her view that sports associations should seriously explore the possibility of cross-country exchanges of sporting teams throughout Guyana. Director of Sports Neil Kumar, in a short address made special mention of national table tennis champion/coach, Sydney Christophe, who he said was the driving force behind the development of the sport in Guyana. Kumar also spoke about the monetary donations made to national associations by the National Sports Commission (NSC). Chairman of the NSC Ken De Abreu, told the gathering which included People's National Congress leader Hugh Desmond Hoyte, Minister of Education Dale Bisnauth, Chancellor of the Judiciary Cecil Kennard, Minister of Health Henry Jeffrey, and Guyana Olympic Association President, K.Juman Yassin among other invited guests, that some associations failed to submit the relevant accounts for the money they received from the NSC. Those associations he said, will have to put their books in order before they can receive further assistance from the body. Awards were presented to 1997 Sportsman of the Year, West Indies and Guyana and West Indies cricketer Clayton Lambert, whose wife Sharon Ann, accepted the award in his absence. Table tennis player Francine Abrams received the Female Sportswoman award and Squash player Jillian Griffith, the runner-up award. West Indies A team player Ramnaresh Sarwan received the Junior Sportsman of the Year, award, while black belt karateka Arifa Khanam, was on hand to receive the Junior Sportswoman award and Squash player Nicholette Fernandes the runner-up prize. Christophe, was awarded with the Coach of the Year trophy, and Juman Yassin, the Male Sports Personality trophy. Honourable mention went to squash player Dianne Lee, cyclist Godfrey Pollydore and footballer Anthony Stanton. Pollydore's father Ulric, accepted the award on behalf of his son who is currently on a three-month scholarship in Colombia. The Guyana Table Tennis Association, the Squash Association and the Guyana Rifle Shooting Association received honourable mention prizes. 
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