Dear Editor,
While there is some evidence of development in the agricultural sector in Region Two, that is Pomeroon Supenaam, there are no signs of development in the area of sports. In fact there is a decline in sporting activities and this may be because the senior regional officials do not display the zeal and impetus necessary to ensure its success.
Cricket which is by far the most popular sport played, looked at and talked about is in a state of decline. There was a time when regional teams consisting of past and current test stars used to play at the Kayman Sankar cricket ground at Hampton Court. That is a thing of the past. We are unable to host a regional under nineteen match even though an entire tournament was played in Guyana. There are fewer clubs and grounds than there were about five years ago, and those that are available are not kept up to a high standard. For example, the Suddie sports ground which is owned and managed by the Riverstown/Annandale Neighbourhood Democratic Council and for which funds are allocated by the Guyana Cricket Board from the Stanford twenty/twenty funds. Not a ball has been bowled there for years, nor any sporting event held there. It has been reduced to a cow pasture.
The Anna Regina Commu-nity Centre Ground that is managed by the Town Council is far below the standard required for first class matches and is mainly used for stage shows and other cultural events.
As for the other sports disciplines, apart from football the rest are non-existent and even in the case of football clubs that were given monetary assistance by President Jagdeo from the lotto funds, I am not sure if or how well they are functioning.
The National School Athletics Championship that was held recently by the Guyana Teachers Union at our National Stadium at Providence can be described as very successful. This region competed but we were not competitive. We did so poorly that in the final results we were not even mentioned.
There is no policy paper for the development of sports in this region. Apart from a few cricket coaches, there are no other coaches. Although there are coaches for every sport being paid by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports none is based here. They don’t even visit to hold regular coaching clinics in this area.
I feel that the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports and the National Sports Develop-ment Council must take some of the blame for doing very little or I should say nothing to ensure that sport is developed in this region.
Yours faithfully,
Archie Cordis
