Dear Editor,
Natural raw talent was displayed by athletes from all ten administrative regions of Guyana at the just concluded 52nd National Schools Championships, 2012. Athletes should be very proud of themselves for competing and giving sterling performances at the highest level of sport in Guyana. Many new records were set and coaches should also be very proud of themselves for the guidance given to their respective athletes. Sponsors too should be applauded for their commitment to this national event.
The year 2012 could very well be the last showing of the National School Championships at the Providence Stadium, as a new era is about to begin in 2013 with national meets now been hosted at the Leonora synthetic track on the West Coast Demerara – that is, if the project is fully completed before November 2013.
For athletes, with the new era a matter of months away, it comes with major changes and adjustments. The most important is that many will have to make an effort to adjust to wearing spiked footwear, because to the best of my knowledge, I don’t think it is customary or perhaps allowed internationally for athletes to compete barefoot on a synthetic track.
The moment athletes depart the shores of Guyana, they become sports ambassadors and from a tourism point of view, they are also marketing tools of importance. In my view, sport contributes significantly to the development of tourism.
I also believe that it is not just the government of the day which has responsibility for the development of sport, but also the business community, health specialists, sports consultants, coaches, etc.
Respectfully to sports fraternities: if they are not open to suggestions, opinions, innovative ideas, transformation, transparency, accountability, etc, they will find it very difficult to grow in a healthy manner.
Yours faithfully,
T Pemberton