The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) is billed for next month. That’s the word of honorary General Secretary and top chess player Ronuel Greenidge.
In an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sports last evening, Greenidge said that date of the AGM May 15, was arrived at following last Saturday’s meeting at the Ocean Spray Hotel where a number of other issues were ventilated.
Current GCF president Irshad Mohammed had promised to update Stabroek Sports on the latest developments following the meeting last week-end but several calls to his cell phone went unanswered.
Mohammed had told Stabroek Sports earlier in the week that he would not be seeking re-election and this was confirmed last evening by Greenidge.
“No! He would not be seeking re-lection,” said Greenidge when asked if the incumbent would stay on for another term.
Mohammed, who took over from previous president Shiv Nandalall, has been responsible for Guyana’s re-entry to the Chess Olympiad, the pinnacle of team chess in the world after over two decades.
A team comprising Greenidge, Anthony Drayton, Maria Thomas and Haifeng Su, participated at the 41st Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway where Greenidge (FIDE ranked 1753) and Drayton (FIDE ranked 1914) earned Candidate Master status.
Mohammed also presided over the staging of the Umada Cup here last year a competition which was won by Trinidad’s Ryan Harper, a FIDE Master and the highest rated player in the competition.
The GCF reportedly received the sum of US$35,000 to stage the Umada Cup.
Greendige also disclosed that Meusa has emerged as a front runner for the post of GCF president.
“Wendell Meusa is going to be running for the presidency,” he said.
Asked if Meusa is the only candidate for the post Greenidge said:”At this point, yes.”
Greenidge also said that once the AGM is out of the way the federation will push ahead with its plans for the year. He did disclose, however, that the GCF will be pushing to send
a male and a female team to this year’s Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan, from September 1-14.
“We are looking at sending two teams to the Olympiad a male and a female. The male team is definitely going. Those were some of the issues discussed at the last meeting,” he said.
According to Greenidge more than likely players for the Chess Olympiad will be selected based on past performance which is understandable as the GCF has only staged one tournament this year, the Mashramani tournament sponsored by Trophy Stall, of Bourda Market.
Greenidge also disclosed that two players Meusa and Thomas will be participating in the Sub Zonal tournament in Barbados later this month.
The tournament is open to all national federations of Central America and the Caribbean and will run from April 27 to May 3.
The tournament will be played at the DiviSouthwinds Hotel, Christ Church and the first prize in the Absolute section will be US$1000 and in the female category US$700.
