Dear Editor,
I am not puzzled or surprised by Mr Gervy Harry’s effort in his letter dated March 28, in Stabroek News, where he tries to justify the disgraceful conduct of his assistant Mr Bashir Khan who instructed the security guard to take the lights off while the Guyana Women’s Basketball squad was practising at the Sports Hall on the evening of March 24.
Mr Harry was responding to a report in SN on March 26, captioned ‘Lights turned off at CASH while female basketball team training.’
The mentality displayed by Mr Harry, the Admin Officer of the National Sports Commission (NSC) is indicative of the lack of a sports culture in Guyana, as noted by the great Caribbean sprinter, four-time Olympic medal winner and NBC sportscaster Ato Bolton. When at the Sports Management workshop held in Guyana during June 2014, Mr Bolton emphasized the need for a “culture of sport” if Guyana is to develop and reap success in sport.
Also, we have Presidential Advisor for Youth Empowerment, Mr Odinga Lumumba noting in a report carried in SN on March 28, that “Sports lack basic support in Guyana.” I believe the conduct of Mr Khan and the support given by Mr Harry are clear indications that there is no culture of sport in Guyana and that sports do lack basic support.
I will not try to dismantle the hollow arguments made by Mr Harry who seems to waffle as he attempts to defend the conduct of his assistant by referencing a plethora of letters and dates.
Suffice it to say, that letters written to the NSC for permission to use the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) are invariably subject to change. Also, most of the arrangements to use the Sports Hall are done by a phone call or some non-written agreement for a recorded or unrecorded fee.
Mr Harry in his letter notes, “It is known by all that the CASH is the only facility of its kind and is in constant use, seven days a week, for various sport disciplines and other activities.” However, when the lights were turned off to prevent the Guyana Women’s National Basketball Squad from practising, no other activity was scheduled for that evening. And the National Sports Hall where the first major event was held in 1980, when Guyana hosted the Caricom Basketball Championships, is still the only facility of its kind in Guyana; this underlines in bold, both the lack of a sports culture and that “sports lack basic support in Guyana.”
Having myself spent a few thousand hours practising basketball at the Sports Hall, I can say without fear of contradiction that lights were never turned off while I trained with the National Basketball Squad or Team to represent Guyana. In fact, players were encouraged to stay on after formal practice hours to work on areas that would improve their game.
In responding to Mr Harry’ statement that “Respect from all, for all is necessary,” I ask him where is the respect for the ladies who were training in the Guyana Women’s Basketball Squad?
The Guyana Men’s Basketball team recently concluded a three-game basketball series against Bermuda and the training sessions went on past 10pm on several nights. The magnificent performance of the Guyana Panthers and the enthusiastic support from the Guyanese fans came about partly as a result of the extra hours of training that went beyond 10pm.
The shameful and appalling support given by Mr Harry, is in and of itself a disgrace.
I close with the following quote from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.
Yours faithfully,
Nigel Hinds
GABF President
