Dear Editor,
There is an urgent need for sports facilities throughout the country. There is need for more cricket grounds, football grounds, lawn tennis courts, volley ball courts, swimming pools, gymnasia and sport halls. This government is not pumping enough funds into sports. Youths across Guyana have nothing to do in their spare time. They find themselves indulging in drugs, crime various other illegal activities detrimental to society. Sports would have had youths living better lives in more dignity.
The government has the National Sports Commission which manages a few sports facilities and gives monies to sports organisations which go abroad to compete. This does not go far for the development of sport, and it does not build sports facilities.
During Bookers’ presence in Guyana on the sugar estates the company built first-class community centres. This developed and promoted sport, especially cricket. Bookers brought West Indies cricketer Clyde Walcott to do coaching on the sugar estates. The estates produced many cricketers such as Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, John Trim and others. Subsequently, government did not build on Bookers’ legacy.
Going around in Guyana it can be seen that many sports facilities have fallen into disrepair; grounds have been taken over by tall grass and bushes and are occupied by animals grazing. School yards are swampy and bare with no sports infrastructure.
The government has to give more attention to sports if it is going to build a healthy nation which displays more discipline and less lawlessness. The Lotto funds can be used in this direction.
Yours faithfully,
Baldeo Persaud
