Mash Swim meet cancelled over use of 50m pool

- Goodwill Games in August; 2013 Carifta Swim C/ships staging at 50m pool in limbo

The annual Mashramani Swim Meet which was scheduled to begin today has been cancelled by the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) which is contemplating squashing future meets billed for the new 50-metre pool at the National Aquatic Centre at Pattenson.

In a press release sent out yesterday GASA charged that it had not been assured of the use of the pool by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the ministry responsible for the facility.

Alex Graham

The association said it was left stranded, unable to find a facility to hold its swim meets since the use of the Castellani Pool was halted following the opening of the National Aquatic Centre, the release stated.

According to GASA president, Alex Graham  the association was asked to write requesting the use of the new 50-metre pool for the event.

However, since having written to the ministry, GASA said it has received no confirmation.

Graham added that staff at the pool have indicated that they have received no word from the ministry that permission was granted to hold the event there.

“We have written requesting the pool but staff there (at the pool) have given information to us that permission was not granted [for the use of the pool]. We have been experiencing ongoing challenges [with the ministry],” Graham added.

The cancellation follows months of contention between the ministry and GASA over the use of the pool beginning since the pool was opened last November.

The meet, which was scheduled to run from today and end on Sunday, was expected to be a merger of the annual Mash meet and the National Swimming Championships.

It was to be the first major meet on GASA’s calendar and two of Guyana’s top swimmers, Jessica Stephenson and Noelle Smith, were expected home from Trinidad and Tobago to participate.

The release also stated that 12 swimmers from Moruca had travelled to Georgetown in anticipation of participating in the championships also.

GASA said it would meet to discuss the future of events scheduled for Guyana which necessitated the use of the 50-metre pool.

“The Council will be called for an emergency session over the weekend to discuss a Motion expected from the Executive relating to the hosting of the Goodwill Swimming Championships in August,” the release stated.

“It is expected that the Executive will seek the approval of the Council to notify partner associations in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Suriname that Guyana will no longer be able to host the Meet as a result of ongoing challenges with the use of the National Aquatic Centre,” the release added.

“It is projected that the statutory GASA Council Meeting in April will decide on whether Guyana will be able to keep its commitment to host the CARIFTA Swimming Championships in 2013,” the release ended.