Brigadier Mark Phillips of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was returned unopposed as head of the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA) following the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held Thursday last at the Police Officers’ Mess, Eve Leary.
Also returning were Vice-Presidents Richard Fields and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retired) Paul Slowe, Secretary Ryan Sampson, Treasurer Ray Beharry and Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Hemant Narine.
Mahendra Persaud, who acted as Chairman of the proceedings due to the absence of Brigadier Philips, retained the fullbore captaincy while Dylan Fields was returned as his deputy. In the smallbore department Captain Dale Hing and his deputy Gordon Richards retained their respective posts.
Sherwin Filicien replaced female markswoman Vidushi Persaud as a committee member while Dr. Johan Da Silva and regional champion marksman Lennox Braithwaite retained their committee member positions.
Lieutenant Colonel Terrance Stuart of the GDF and Leo Romalho are the association’s auditors.
According to a GNRA press release, the meeting was well attended by its members who engaged in a positive question and answer session with members of the head table.
Reports on last year’s activities were presented by Persaud and Hing respectively while the Treasurer’s Report was presented by Beharry.
The management perspective of the GNRA’s activities was done by Sampson who gave a holistic view of the workings of the GNRA over the last year.
Sampson’s report lauded the strides made by the association in 2014 which included for the very first time an international shooting coach, Mr. Ian Shaw of Scotland, gracing the shores of Guyana.
The ripple effect of this training saw the National Rifle Team retaining the West Indies Long Range Trophy and recapturing the West Indies Short Range Trophy.
They also had the distinction of seeing six Guyanese in the top 15 at the West Indies Championship.
The six were later selected to represent Guyana at the Palma World Long Range Championship to be held at Camp Perry, Ohio, USA, later this year.
Sampson’s report also praised veteran marksmen Persaud and Braithwaite, who were the most outstanding performers in the Guyanese contingent and the best of the West Indies shooters at the Commonwealth Games.
