Dear Editor,
I am amazed by the operations of our government and sporting authorities.
Scenario One: Young Daniel Williams wins a silver medal in the 400 metres at the World Youth Championships in Kenya. He returns home and the President of the Athletic Association of Guyana Mr Aubrey Hutson and family members are the only persons there to meet him at the airport. No Minister of Sport, no Director of Sport, no member of the Guyana Olympic Association. Hutson then had to hunt down the Minister of Sport in order for Williams to have a photo op.
Scenario Two: Young flyweight boxer Keevin Allicock won a silver medal for Guyana (not himself) at the Youth Commonwealth Games held in the Bahamas. He returns home and was met by a contingent from the Guyana Boxing Association and well-wishers. Again, there was no Minister of Sport, no Director of Sport and no member of the Guyana Olympic Association.
Scenario Three: The Guyana Robotics team placed 10th in the World Robotics Championships. Not first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or even seventh, but tenth. The team returned home and was met at the airport by the First Lady Mrs Granger, the Director of Sport Christopher Jones (is robotics a sport?), a steel band and the list goes on. Stabroek News even had an entire editorial applauding the efforts of the Robotics Team. So a logical question is, what is wrong with a silver medal at the World Youth Championship and what is wrong with a silver medal at the Youth Commonwealth Games? Is this how we treat our athletes?
After being informed of the above mentioned I cannot withhold my annoyance and disappointment with a system which preaches one thing and practises another. We remain cavalier about sport and are quick to point out failures.
However, here are two occasions when our administration could have at least shown some level of interest and they failed miserably, and placed 10th in a field of ten. I call for, and expect a Commission of Inquiry.
Yours faithfully,
Robert Trim
