And now for some good news.
There is a glimmer of hope that the four boxers stranded in Cuba since March 19 will soon be finally back on Guyanese soil.
In a virtual press conference hosted by the National COVID-19 Task Force on Saturday, it was revealed by Chairman of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority’s (GCAA) Board of Directors, Lt Col. (Ret’d) Larry London, that repatriation flights from Cuba are currently being organised for Guyanese seeking to return home.
London disclosed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently in talks with officials of the Cuban government to facilitate a flight back to Guyana.
He noted that they are currently making arrangements to put protocols in place to have the stranded locals in one bubble before moving forward with the flight.
London also disclosed that approval has been granted to Caribbean Airlines to conduct a Cuban repatriation flight from Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana to Cuba.
Yesterday, Stabroek Sport spoke to President of the Guyana Boxing Association, Steve Ninvalle who welcomed the good news and called for the expeditious return of the mentally drained sportsmen who had traveled to the island since January 4 for a three-month training stint.
“We welcome the encouraging news and this has been passed on to the boxers, but when there is a specific date and time, we will be more encouraged.”
Ninvalle added “It has been more than a 100 days they have been stranded and for me personally, I find some new enthusiasm from the latest we have heard. However, we cannot begin to understand what they have gone through mentally. This news coming from an official capacity is very welcomed and it is my only hope that this is bought to a conclusion rather sooner than later.
“It has been an extremely frustrating period for all involved,” he concluded.
The quartet of Keevin Allicock, Colin Lewis, Desmond Amsterdam and Dennis Thomas were scheduled to return to Guyana on March 19 before traveling to Argentina for the March 26-April 3 Olympic Qualifiers which has since been shelved.
Those scheduled plans were all thwarted following the COVID-19 pandemic which has claimed in excess of 500,000 lives worldwide including 15 Guyanese to date.
