Dear Editor,
A remarkable thing happened recently. The University of Guyana was unable to participate in the University of the West Indies Games (Jamaica) owing to financial constraints. UG’s absence from the UWI Games (25th June) should be used as an eye-opener to the administration, more importantly, those responsible for sports at the prestigious institution.
It is very unfortunate that the team of seven athletes along with coach and manager were unable to travel as a result of financial constraints. Further, it is even more unfortunate to be made aware of the team’s inability to travel on the day before the scheduled day of departure. To purchase, or rather attempt to purchase tickets for such a venture on the day before supposed departure is very unprofessional and doesn’t connote proper planning on the behalf of the sports administration.
Firstly, no man is an island and no man stands alone; likewise no institution stands alone. Where is the relationship between UG and the private sector? Had there been a strong relationship with the private sector, sourcing funds would never have been an issue. Private sector involvement is absolutely necessary when it comes to sport development within any country. The sports administration lacks vision for, and a long term outlook on sports in general.
Secondly, the coordinators of the Hampton Games extended an invitation and offered a package to the university to participate in the Games scheduled for June 25-26 in Trinidad. Within the package was free accommodation and ground transport for 12 athletes. However, coincidentally both the Hampton Games and the UWI Games were on the same date. Little follow-up was done because UG sports organisers gave precedence to the UWI Games.
Had there been proper planning and organising, the financial constraints would have been foreseen, and the team could have resorted to the Hampton Games which required UG only to cater for airfares and meals. This is similar to the ‘dog and the bone story’; UG sports organisers gave up sure for unsure, thereby ending up losing everything.
It is recommended that the sports administration of the University of Guyana take note; it is also recommended that they reflect excellence, show greater forethought and put mechanisms in place to avoid a recurrence of such a catastrophic event. They should first explore opportunities that would benefit both the private sector and themselves in the long run. It can be done in many ways; one, for example, is UG making available specific sections of its official website to the private sector for paid advertisement purposes.
Yours faithfully,
Elton Bollers
Student-Athlete
