Gomez issue call for Teixeira’s assistance
...for World Long Range Championship
By Michael DaSilva
Stabroek News
April 29, 2003
West Indies Fullbore Council (WIFC) president, Trinidadian Norris Gomez, has issued a call for Guyana’s Minister of Sports Gail Teixeira to ensure local riflemen attend the Palma World Long Range World Shooting Championships as part of the WIFSC’s team.
Minister Teixeira has promised whatever help her ministry could give to ensure the locals participation at the prestigious championship.
Nine Guyanese have been included in the West Indies 22-member team for the Palma Championship slated for Bisley, England, in July of this year.
Gomez, while addressing Regional rifle shooters and local sports administrators at the Presentation Ceremony of the just concluded West Indies Fullbore Shooting Champion-ship on Sunday night, called on Minister Teixeira to do all in her power to ensure the Guyanese participation at Bisley.
Gomez noted that the West Indies team is made up of a great number of Guyanese who successfully defended the Singer Cup at the just concluded championship.
Apart from retaining the Singer Cup, the locals also captured 18 gold medals and a number of silver and bronze medals. They however failed to recapture the BWIA Cup from defending champions Jamaica.
“It was really great to be back here to meet old friends and make new ones” Gomes stated while congratulating the Jamaican team on Retaining the BWIA Cup.
“We thought Guyana would have won the BWIA Cup, but as Mahendra (Persaud) said, the wind conditions had not been like what it was (last week) for many years” Gomez remarked.
According to the BWIA pilot, Jamaica’s is slated to host next year’s championship, but this could be shifted to Trinidad, since that (Trinidad) country’s association will be observing their 125th anniversary next year.
Gomez said he was very impressed with the coverage the local media (print and electronic) gave during the championship.
Minister Teixeira congratulated the winners and said she was happy to know that the Jamaican team included one female - Valarie Newman. “I would like to see more women getting involved in the sport” Teixeira beckoned, but admitted that the sport is very expensive and demands a great deal of discipline.
Master of Ceremony, Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe, apologised for the absence of President Bharrat Jagdeo who had other commitments.
Richard Fields who stood in for Guyana National Rifle Association’s president Michael Atherley, welcomed the Regional shooters and said his association was very happy that the championship was contested in an atmosphere of good friendship.
Jaamaica’s captain John Nelson said it was a pleasure for his team to be here and noted that 28 years ago, Jamaica won the championship when it was staged here in Guyana.
Guyana’s captain Mahendra Persaud also called on Minister Teixeira to do al in her power to ensure the nine locals selected for the West Indies team get to Bisley.
The vote of thanks was moved by GNRA executive Denise Carryl.
Also present at Sunday night’s ceremony were Director of Sport Neil Kumar, Guyana Olympic Association president Juman Yassin and Amateur Athletic Association of Guyana President Claude Blackmoore.
