Former Secretary General of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Ivor O’Brien was recently awarded the prestigious Commonwealth Order of Merit for significant contribution to the Commonwealth Sport movement. O’Brien who received the award in Edmonton, Canada last month is the first Guyanese recipient of such an award.
“Indeed I am honored” O’Brien said on Wednesday to media operatives at a press briefing at the GOA’s headquarters in Kingston. “This certainly is one of the highlights of my career.
when you speak of the Commonwealth, you talk of 71 countries.”
O’Brien is also the recipient of the Pan American Order of Merit and a Medal of Service.
Meanwhile, O’Brien used the platform to throw his support behind president of the GOA, K Juman-Yassin who has been receiving some criticism from another section of the print media ahead of the upcoming Annual General Meeting.
“I would support Juman for another term, he has brought the association a long way, many things have been said about the length of time he has been in office and what the association has been doing but winning Olympic medals is not the responsibility of the GOA only.”
O’Brien added that it is s a joint venture which includes the private enterprise, the government, the federations and the Olympic Committee.
“It takes time and in addition to that we didn’t get the resources and support but we are getting now so I think it is unfair and we need to give Juman some time at least to finish what he started.”
