GTU to seek to improve national schools c/ships

- Bynoe, Hope urge review of nationals

President of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) Colin Bynoe said yesterday that his union will be looking to find ways to improve the annual schools national track and field, cycling and swimming championships.

Bynoe made the disclosure at the presentation ceremony for this year’s schools championships which was held yesterday at GTU hall, Woolford Avenue.
While Bynoe acknowledged the various problems surrounding this year’s nationals and congratulated District 10 on its victory, he was quick to point out that GTU will look to improve the 51-year-old championships.

According to Bynoe, come next year, the GTU will be putting three steps in place as they hope to carry the championships to Essequibo.
“The three steps will be a quick evaluation of this year’s nationals, evaluate the capacity for the region to host the championships and the championships planning must start within the first quarter of the year,” Bynoe stated.

Also present yesterday was Digicel’s Sponsorship Events Manager Gavin Hope.
Hope, a former athlete, in his presentation acknowledged that there were faults at the championships that must be addressed in order for the championships to be run off smoothly and to achieve a hiccup-free nationals next year.

“I’m glad that this phase of the championships is taking place. We definitely had some administrative issues, hiccups and weather problems beyond our control that we need to addressed but I think we had a keenly-contested championships.

Gavin Hope (extreme left) hands over the Champion of Champions trophy to Carmen Small of District 10 in the presence of GTU President Colin Bynoe.

“However, I urge GTU and the Ministry of Education (MOE) to iron out the issues they had because ultimately all these problems will  affect the children and once Digicel is a part we want everything to go smoothly for the benefit and development of the youths,” Hope stated as he congratulated District 10 and the various winners of the events.

Upper/Demerara/Kwakwanki (District 10) were crowned 2011 Champion of Champions at this year’s Digicel-sponsored National Schools  Athletics, Swimming and Cycling Championships.

Colin Bynoe (right) hands over the Teachers Championship trophy to Marlon Laing of District 11.

District 10 won the Track and Field Championships; finished third in the Teachers and Swimming Championships and fourth in the Cycling Championships to come out on top with the Champion of Champions trophy, dethroning defending champions North Georgetown (District 11).

Team manager of District 10 Carmen Small received the championship trophy on behalf of District 10 while Marlon Laing received District 11’s individual championship trophies.

Medals and trophies that are still outstanding to athletes will be sent to the various schools of those athletes who placed first, second and third.