With all the hoopla surrounding basketball, Stabroek Sport sought an interview with President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) and retired Guyana Defence Force Lieutenant Colonel Godwin McPherson about the problems plaguing the game.
Despite all that had been written about his leadership, Mc Pherson seemed at ease when he sat down with Kezqweyah Yisrael to face questions ranging from the state of the sport locally and how much longer he intends to sit at the helm of the local governing body for the sport.
KY: How long have you been the president of the GABF?
GW: Since 1990 when I took over from Colonel Carl Morgan.
KY: Before that time did you have any interest in basketball?
GM: No, but I’d served as secretary of the GFF (Guyana Football Federation) for a period of time so being in an administrative position for a sports discipline was not new to me.
KY: What state was the game in when you took office, and how would you describe its condition now?
GM: Not much was being done for basketball when I took office, in fact I was part of the organizing committee of the first Caricom Basketball Championships tournament, which was held in Guyana, under my leadership, when our national team finished second to Barbados in 1994. After this, a national youth team was sent to Atlanta, Georgia, USA, where Michael Prince was manager of the team and Philip George head coach.
GM: Later, the nationals travelled to The Bahamas via Miami and had no visa problems. Our female national team participated in Belize in the ’90s as well. In the year 2001, the local players selected for the championships in the US Virgin Islands, all received visas but were unable to travel because of flight problems. So for some to say that the GABF has some rift with the US Embassy or for that matter, Mr McPherson, is not accurate. Further, each individual that applies for a non-immigrant visa to the US must satisfy the relevant [requirements]. They are the ones who have to answer the questions. GABF is in no position to hinder their acceptance.
Now, today, not having been able to field our best teams in Puerto Rico, has hurt basketball, adding to the pain constantly [inflicted] by media personnel who are more interested in highlighting negatives
