Following avoidable and unnecessary travel errors which hamstrung the CARIFTA Games outfit, calls have been made for Aubrey Hutson, president of the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) to step down.
On the sideline following the arrival of the team at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport yesterday, Hutson told the media that he is weighing his options but he opines that he still has ‘a lot to contribute.’“I am weighing my options right now and if at any point I feel I am a hindrance to the progress of track and field in Guyana, trust me, I will walk away.”
Hutson added that his track record has shown that the discipline has enjoyed an upward trajectory since he took over the reins a decade ago.
“I know I still have a lot to contribute and look at the results what we have been getting since I became President, it is a lot better than what we had achieved.” He added, “For us to look at a one-off situation and say this is something that has been occurring all the time is simply not so. There is a lot of misinformation.”
Most of the 19-member athlete contingent and the four officials arrived in the Bahamas for the April-7-10 Games on a late charter on the day of competition after several travel arrangements fell through. Hutson has since taken the brunt of the criticism after several negative posts and alleged misinformation began to circulate on social media.
“I think sometimes people make statements and hoping that they become true” said Hutson who added, “I don’t rely on Facebook for my information but if the athletes and the clubs and the coaches say Mr. Hutson we have had enough of you, we don’t think your policies which worked in the past will work for us now, we think you should leave, I will leave.”
Hutson who was elected to his third consecutive four-year term in 2021, however did admit that the “structure of preparing for the CARIFTA Games in Guyana has to change.”
He also cleared up rumors that one-way tickets were booked for the contingent. “That is far from the truth, I have return reservations for the athletes returning tomorrow (today) because those were the best reservations we could have had. The Director of Sports, (Steve Ninvalle) contacted me and said no, we want them home earlier and hence the government is going to play a role in getting them back home.”
Hutson further added that the travel agency is to blame for the bungled travel arrangements after he received $3M each from the Guyana Olympic Association and National Sports Commission which helped to blanket most of the $9M budget. Hutson disclosed that he received GOA’s contribution a week prior to the planned departure and the NSC’s cheque on Holy Thursday, a day before Good Friday when the outfit was scheduled to depart. “I am not blaming those issues for not securing the tickets earlier, the traveling agency messed us up and that is all I can say.”
During the 50th edition of the Games which was hosted in the Bahamas, Team Guyana’s athletes finished with eight medals, three gold, two silver and the rest bronze.
Javon Roberts (800m gold and 1500m silver), Anisha Gibbons (javelin gold), Tianna Springer (400m gold), Attoya Harvey (3000m silver), Seon Booker (1500m bronze), Ezekiel Saul (U-17 Triple Jump bronze) and Trevon Hamer (U-20 Triple Jump bronze) were the medalists for Guyana which finished fifth on the medal table. (Emmerson Campbell)
