Its official, this year’s Inter Guiana Games (IGG) will be staged in Suriname next month.
So said Director of Sports, Steve Ninvalle, yesterday.
“The 2023 edition of the traditional Inter-Guiana Games will now officially be staged from November 17th–19th, following confirmation from the host nation of Suriname,” Ninvalle stated in a release to the media yesterday.
“The confirmation by the Surinamese government of the event’s hosting has resulted in Guyana and French Guiana immediately confirming their participation,” the release added.
The historic event, which was initially pencilled for the October 26th–31st window period, was deferred for several weeks owing to a dearth of fiscal resources from the Surinamese administration.
That situation, which was initially related by the country’s Director of Sport, Gordon Tjouw Ngie Touw, to his Guyanese and French Guiana counterparts, has now been remedied.
“The confirmation of this important platform is welcome news to all the participating nations, which understand that its overall importance goes beyond the competitive realm, as it acts as a vital unifier amongst a historically and culturally linked people,” said Ninvalle, Sports Czar in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
“The Government of Guyana is fully committed to maintaining this avenue given its developmental and social value, and this is evident and unequivocal given the role played in its resuscitation after five years of dormancy,” he added.
Suriname previously staged the 2017 edition, which was the last iteration before the five-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s games was in limbo after Tjouw Ngie Touw had requested a postponement.
“Owing to a dearth of fiscal resources from the Government of Suriname due to several conditions, the country’s has officially confirmed that the staging of the Inter-Guiana Games (IGG), which was penciled for the October 26th–31st window, has been deferred for several weeks,” he had stated earlier.
Meanwhile, now that the games have gotten the proverbial green light, Ninvalle said that in keeping with the established protocol, there will be a venue inspection this week.
“An inspection of the facilities in conjunction with an official meeting amongst the Directors of Sports of the participating nations will occur on Thursday in Paramaribo,” he stated.
“The aforementioned forum is being conducted to concretize the game’s logistical apparatus,” Ninvalle added.
In a related development two of the previously 10 disciplines contested at the games have been dropped.
Ninvalle said that the eight disciplines that will be contested are: chess, futsal, football, lawn tennis, swimming, basketball, volleyball and athletics.
The two disciplines that have been removed from the initial list of 10 sports following a request from the hosts are table tennis and badminton.
According to the release, the staging of respective international competitions in the aforesaid disciplines during the same window period is the primary reason for their removal from the competitive list.
The Organising Committee for the Games have indicated that the arrival date for the travelling delegations is November 16th, while the departure date is scheduled for November 20th.
NInvalle said that a meeting with the local representatives of the associations and administrators of the competing sports will be conducted tomorrow by the National Sports Commission (NSC).
The IGG was first held in 1967 and is traditionally staged on an annual basis. However, the games were rekindled last year by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government following a five-year hiatus, a period that encompassed the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 edition on local soil featured over 400 athletes and coaches.
The IGG not only showcases the future young athletes of the three countries, but it also serves as a cultural and educational platform. The IGG helps forge unity, trust, and understanding among the peoples of the Guianas.
