The bi-annual Caribbean Scrabble Championship opens today at the Status International Hotel (formerly Zoom Inn) Croal Street and team Guyana is hoping to climb one step higher to claim the championship title.
Two years ago Guyana finished in the runner-up position behind champions Trinidad and Tobago.
Team Captain, Abigail McDonald in an invited comment yesterday said that Guyana stands a good chance of winning the title.
“For me personally when I look at the top six players there is no disparity so I would say as a unit Guyana is strong. Gone are the days when you could predict the champion.”
Guyana will be playing against defending champions Trinidad and Barbados.
Moen Gafoor, Guyana Association of Scrabble Players (GASP)accountant, had, in a previous interview, said that the bi-annual championships will see Guyana hosting the tournament every six years until other countries come on board.
“Right now we only have the three countries and we are in talks with St. Lucia and Jamaica to an extent. I am not sure how much progress was made but I know for sure that St. Lucia competed in the last tournament hosted in Trinidad.”
He added that St. Lucia will not be competing this year so that leaves Barbados, Trinidad and Guyana as the three countries contesting the championship. One of Guyana’s youngest members Leon Bellamy, said that he was confident that he can make his mark at the championships. According to Bellamy, this is his third Caribbean championships.
“Well I have a lot of expectations from my colleagues and my friends so I think this time it’s going to be one of my best performances at this level.” McDonald said that she has put a lot of pressure on herself to ensure that she comes out successful at this tournament. She said too that she is satisfied with her preparation and that of her teammates. Each team is made up of eight players who will compete in the team and open categories of the championships. Apart from McDonald, Gafoor and Bellamy the other players forming team Guyana are: Fred Collins, James Krakowsky, Ulric Harris, Orlando Michael and Rudy Cummings. Cummings and Michael are the two reserve players.
The championships, which starts tomorrow, will be played at the Bank of Guyana roof garden and ends on Sunday.
