Dear Editor,
Region Two has not had an effective sports department since Mr Carl Brandon was seconded to the Ministry of Sport some eight years ago. As a result, sport in the region has been directionless with there being no database of the various sports organisations. Hence, many clubs are dysfunctional, with no assistance from the region in terms of providing gear, expertise, human and capital resources etc. Essequibo needs sports officers for at least strategic areas ‒ North, South and Pomeroon ‒ with a well-staffed office and the full support of the region and the Ministry of Education which has responsibility for sport.
There exists an abundance of talent within the various disciplines on the Essequibo Coast but there are no proper structures in place for them to develop. The Anna Regina Community Centre Ground which is the largest and is well fenced, is not being managed properly. Currently there are heaps of broken bottles on the ground and the authorities don’t seem to care much about sports.
In my tenure as a councillor I donated over 50 truckloads of earth from my rice land to this ground. The intention was to bring this ground to international standard. Mr Ivan Narain, who was also a councillor, volunteered to prepare and shape the ground, which he did. After that was done, first-class and inter-county cricket began to be played on this very ground, and more young talents started to blossom in Essequibo and the Pomeroon. Some of them are even playing now in Georgetown cricket clubs like the Demerara Cricket Club and Georgetown Cricket Ground.
Essequibians are calling on the new administration to address this matter urgently, and ensure that they have an equal opportunity to play at the national level. The President recently stated that there need to be adequate sports facilities in all the regions, so that our athletes do not have to travel to Georgetown to excel. The playing of sports in this region would also help to minimise the many social ills here, such as alcohol consumption, drugs, school drop-outs and theft. If one were to take a tour through the entire region, one would see all the sports grounds in deplorable condition. Animals are grazing and sleeping on these grounds; the grass is almost as tall as a tree; the fences are broken down with vines growing on them, and they are an unholy sight in the eyes of the public.
In the past there was a tractor and weeder at the Anna Regina Town Council which used to maintain all the grounds within the township and sometimes outside the township as well. These grounds were in tip-top shape after weeding and almost every day cricket and football were played. The youths in the various communities after school would occupy their time in some sort of activity. I have seen women and young girls playing rounders, football and volleyball in the afternoon on these grounds; today they have no place of leisure since the tractor and weeder have disappeared and all the grounds have been abandoned to bushes.
I strongly believe that this is one area the newly elected councillors should look into following the local government elections; these playgrounds and parks fall under the purview of the councils, and they should make sure they are in good condition at all times for the community. Essequibo is blessed with talented cricketers like Errol Stephney, Ravindra Madolall, Raul Khan, Sherlock Atwell, Vernon Narain, the late Nobert Alphonso and Clarence Alphonso; most of these cricketers are now playing overseas and in Georgetown.
Many of the grosser defects of these arrangements can be corrected.
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Khan
