Dear Editor,
The Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Sport must be commended for the much admired initiative of the community enhancement programme. This has resulted in developmental projects being undertaken on several grounds across the country. It is a fact that owing to financial constraints many grounds have been neglected and remain in a dilapidated state. Therefore it is indeed a welcome gesture by the government to facilitate the construction of new pavilions, club houses, fences, washrooms and sight-screens, among other things, that certainly will enhance various grounds and encourage even more sporting activities to be held there.
Many of these grounds have a rich history through the exemplary performances of various athletes who grace the track, rattle the stumps or pin the nets. In Essequibo there are a number of outstanding sports personalities both alive and deceased who I am suggesting should be honoured by having their names given to some of the projects that are currently being undertaken in the region. I am therefore imploring that one of the newly built pavilions, or one slated to be built, be named after the late fast bowling stalwart Courtney Gonsalves, who remains an icon in Essequibo. A sight-screen could be named after our rising star Ransford Beaton, or one of the players’ room named after Trenton Peters who was a genuinely gifted opening batsman and was as destructive as any this country has produced. What about a scoreboard being named after Alfred Maycock as a timely reminder of the elegance with which he accumulated many of his memorable innings including an imposing 92 against the hostility of Colin Croft at the Hampton Court ground? We certainly need to preserve our legacy and the government should permit those responsible for maintaining the various grounds to honour their heroes by naming some of the projects after them. In fact there are other personalities who are not necessarily sportsmen but who would have contributed significantly towards the development of sport and who should also be given some degree of recognition.
While I have mentioned cricket, there are also other outstanding athletes in the field of football, athletics, boxing, table tennis and cycling who represented Essequibo with distinction, such as Joseph Livan, Colin Roach, Prince Holder and the late Morris Brandon. I am therefore hopeful that the names of our local heroes can be proudly associated with some of the projects which are being undertaken by the government in collaboration with the communities.
Yours faithfully,
Elroy Stephney
