Good facilities necessary for sporting success
… says British High Commissioner
By Isaiah Chappelle
Guyana Chronicle
September 17, 2003
BRITISH High Commissioner Stephen Hiscock declared that good facilities are necessary for success in the international sport arena.
Hiscock delivered the charge to 18 successful participants of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) annual administration course, sponsored by Olympic Solidarity at Olympic House, Monday evening.
The British High Commissioner related how Britain suffered from neglect of playing fields that led to the decline in sport there.
“It could be related to the time we stopped concentrating on sport in schools and facilities,” Hiscock contended.
On the other side of the pendulum, Australia constructed the “most fabulous” facilities in the world and British Olympic Association chose Brisbane for their Olympic team to prepare for the Sydney Games, spending some US$10 million for using them.
“They received more medals at Sydney than they received since 1928,” Hiscock declared.
The diplomat also said that constructing facilities for the Cricket World Cup to be hosted by the West Indies in 2007 should be pursued.
“I personally would be saddened if there is no World Cup cricket here, Guyana having produced so many world class cricketers,” Hiscock said, adding: “The Olympic association and all sports would benefit from the venture.”
Hiscock said he was happy to hear the course participation had such a wide geographical spread.
“I hope that the benefits of this could lead to many medals in the Olympic field,” Hiscock said.
GOA president K. Juman-Yassin congratulated President Bharrat Jagdeo for initiating talks for a stadium, albeit for cricket, but pointed out that some people were pessimistic about the project becoming a reality.
“Government has been hesitant in having sport facilities. They have taken the first step, but they have to complete the walk,” Juman-Yassin said.
The GOA head called on the government to go ahead with plans to construct the stadium whether or not help came from India.
In reviewing the four-day packed programme, Course Director Charles Corbin disclosed that it attracted the broadest participation ever with persons coming from Berbice, Essequibo Coast, Essequibo Islands, Bartica, East Coast Demerara, and the traditional intake from Georgetown.
The course catered for 20 participants and 20 applications were received, with 19 showing up and 18 eventually completing the programme. The participants came from the national associations and the Guyana Teachers Union, registering a 100 per cent pass rate in the assessment.
Corbin also disclosed that the course was balanced in gender participation, which was not by design.
“It’s an indication of current leadership of sport organisations and increased role of women in sport administration,” Corbin contended.
The GOA vice-president also acknowledged that the course facilitators got “valuable guidance” for future programmes from the interaction of participants.
General Secretary of the Guyana Table Tennis Association, Karen Cumberbatch, was most outstanding, having displayed good interaction throughout the course. She moved the vote of thanks.
Cumberbatch described the course as informative, enlightening and challenging and was high in praise for the standard set by the course facilitators.
The successful participants were presented a certificate and a course manual.