By Iva Wharton
President of the Rupununi Athletics and Sports Association (RASA) Brian Rodrigues says the Amerindian Affairs Ministry is failing the athletes in the hinterland region.
However, Minister Pauline Sukhai in an invited comment said that her ministry recently offered assistance to several athletes who were preparing for the Carifta Games.
According to Rodrigues, in an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport via telephone, apart from the National Schools and Swimming Championships hinterland athletes do not receive assistance to compete in other championships. Rodrigues said that he was present when Amerindian Affairs Minister Sukhai promised that her ministry will assist the athletes who were at the time preparing for the Carifta Games.
Rodrigues said he felt insulted, however, when he learnt that the Amerindian Affairs Ministry only contributed $4,000 to pay Samuel Kaitan’s airport departure tax.
The RASA president said he had expected that the Amerindian Affairs Ministry would have offered more support to the athletes given that the ministry rarely offers assistance to hinterland athletes. The Rupununi Athletics and Sports Association, according Rodrigues, over the years has been trying its best to solicit funds for athletes who have to compete in championships outside of the region.“I don’t think that the Amerindian Affairs Ministry cares for the Amerindian athletes who are doing so well,” he asserted.
Rodrigues said further that to the best of his knowledge he is not aware of any athlete who has been assisted by the ministry prior to the promises made by Minister Sukhai.
The promises, he said, that were made to Doretta Wilson have not materialized to this day.
Wilson and many other athletes, he said, fell through the cracks because the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and the Sports Ministry have not done anything to assist them.
He said that some of the athletes who were affected were Daniel Felix, 1,500 metres under-16 national champion three years ago; Wilson, 3,000 metres under-16 national title holder; Hezron Pedro, 3,000 metres under-16; Dianne Mandukin, 400 metres under-13 champion at nationals, and also the captain of the national under-17 football team; and Odonna Burkley, under-13 long jump title holder.
Meanwhile, the business community has been doing more for the athletes than the Ministries of Sport and Amerindian Affairs, Rodrigues said.
He noted also that there are many other athletes who are residing in the hinterland with dreams of pursuing their sports career, but are unable to do so because of the lack of support at the national level.
The St. Ignatius ground, he said, which is used for training is not in a good condition, but it is still being used to prepare athletes for the national schools championships and local championships.
Asked whether he attempted to seek assistance from the Ministry of Sport, Rodrigues replied in the negative but said that will be done this year. Reached for a comment, Amerindian Affairs Minister Sukhai said that she preferred not to comment as she does not know who Rodrigues is. She also said that the Amerindian Affairs Ministry recently offered assistance to several athletes who were preparing for the Carifta Games.
