Call for more attention to sports in Region One
By Michael DaSilva
Stabroek News
January 22, 2003
Teachers from Port Kaituma, currently attending the Pan American Sports Organisation/Guyana Olympic Association’s, National Sports Leaders Development Course in Mabaruma, Region 1, have issued a call for more attention to be paid to sports in the community.
Speaking to Stabroek Sport recently, Ignatius Adams who teaches at the Port Kaituma Secondary School said the community (Port Kaituma) has two sports clubs and a play-field with a club-house but neither of the two sports clubs is functioning while the club-house on the play-field is being vandalised.
With regards the non-functioning of the two sports clubs, Adams pointed out that there is a lack of co-operation among the leaders. “Everyone thinks he or she knows everything and people are just not co-operating with each other,” Adams stated.
According to 28-year-old Adams who graduated from the University of Guyana with a major in Fine Arts and a minor in English, the club house at the sports ground was completed in August 2002, but to date, it has not been officially opened.
“Someone in authority said it will be opened soon,” Adams said, adding “there is a septic tank but no toilets are in place so the people are using it (septic tank) to dispose their garbage and persons are vandalising the building even though the gate to the ground is padlocked.
Adams who plays volleyball and football along with a bit of table tennis and cricket in his community, said there is a Sports Council in the community, but there is a need for the rules of the various sporting disciplines. He said there is also a need for sports equipment and gear.
“The National Sports Commission (NSC) say they are sending in things in there, but we are not seeing anything,” Adams declared. He, however, said the Community’s Sports Organiser, Brian Gordon, is trying his best with whatever is available.
Asked how the course he is attending will benefit his community, Adams said: “I think it will benefit us greatly.We are learning about the governance of sports and sports administration and how to conduct sports meetings.”
There are seven persons from Port Kaituma attending the course which began on Saturday and will conclude on Sunday. In all, 24 persons, mostly school teachers, are attending the course which at the completion, will cost the GOA $1.3M.
“I plan on conducting several courses when I get back to my community,” Adams stated.
According to Adams, the school children in Port Kaituma are already preparing for the Guyana Teachers Union’s Nationals Track and Field Championships.
“After participating at the inter-school and inter-zone levels, individuals will be selected for the various events,” he said.
Adams is however calling on the authorities to grade the grounds in the community.
“The grounds need grading, as it is, the athletes can injure themselves,” he pointed out.
Asked what happens with the athlete after nationals, Adams said: “It’s back to basics. I feel the children only want the opportunity to go to nationals to be away from the routine of community life. They are not really interested in sports. They work in the gold-fields at a very young age.” (Back to top)
