Dear Editor,
I deliberately withheld this perspective until the latter stages of the ongoing ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ football tournament in an effort to nullify claims that I may be attempting to influence the outcome of the event. However, it is now clearer than ever before that the organisers of said tournament are co-conspirators with efforts to victimise those who may not be part of what is certainly now a fraternity. How is it that this ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ football tournament could enjoy the largesse of hosting its activities at Georgetown’s two indoor venues, The National Gymnasium and Cliff Anderson Sports Hall when others are denied this access to these facilities?
Just recently, there was the situation with another football group that was forced to host their tournament in the National Park because they were denied use of those venues on the basis that repairs are imminent. The tournament at the National Park has come and gone and there is yet to be any repairs. Suffice it to say that another group who is obviously in favour with the Government through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport could have access to both venues that were previously denied to others. But I am aware that the organiser of the ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ event is an employee of an entertainment group that is closely aligned to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, which controls both venues. It is this kind of clear victimisation and nepotism that has kept Guyana’s Sport in the wilderness.
It is clear that the message here is unless you are part of the Government cabal, you cannot benefit from usage of its facilities, which is upkept with tax payers dollars and should be accessible to ANY citizen who follows due process. Editor, in addition, I have noticed that the players who were banned from the National Park event are being allowed to play in this ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ activity. How is it that the players’ ban can be conveniently lifted but we cannot hear from the Guyana Football Federation on the status of Sports Management Inc.? Which it deemed persona non grata because an entity hosted an event without its permission? This issue was well documented in a brilliant editorial in your June 29 Edition titled “GFF and Sports Managment Inc.” I won’t repeat the contents of that letter here, but the GFF is exposing itself as complicit in this conspiracy to keep anyone outside a particular political fraternity out of conducting legitimate business in the sport.
In a democracy, anyone should have this right. However, it is clear that since the GFF has been announced as a sponsor of the ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ event that body is intent on partnering with groups to effectively assert its power. This is a dictatorial practice. The GFF is clearly in bed with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the entertainment entity to malign those who threaten to raise the standard of the sport without its support. If I were the principals of Sports Management Inc. I would write the GFF demanding that my ban is lifted and I am issued a public apology. How the GFF could lift the players ban and not do the same for the organisers of the tournament that played in that tournament warranted the ban is an administrative mystery.
Editor, this is the country we are living in, what goes for Peter does not applies to Paul, but people are watching and noticing the disparities in treatment solely based on politics and personalities. It is time people judge what is fair and what is clearly maliciously intended to ensure that one group of people benefit. It is a coordinated effort to control sports, culture and the arts through archaic dictatorial practices that should be nonexistent in modern democracies. Maybe, we don’t enjoy the freedoms we believe we have in this country. The treatment of those young men who were forced into the National Park should be nationally condemned when you look at what’s happening at the Gymnasium and Sports Hall.
Sincerely,
Claude Bennett