Dear Editor,
Sport remains the most unifying force worldwide, breaking the barriers of colour, creed, race and religion.
It was indeed a sad day for sport that the lengthy list of national awardees announced at the Jubilee celebrations, did not include one sportsman, sportswoman, sports personality, broadcaster, commentator, announcer, administrator, coach, referee/umpire, trainer or player. None was considered worthy of a national award for long and dedicated service, unselfish contributions amid adversities and challenges, and always putting the sport first. However, the government of the day and the National Sports Commission (NSC), cannot be singled out to take all the blame. What of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and all the national associations/federations? Wasn’t an advertisement placed in the print media, outlining the criteria to be eligible for a national award? Did the GOA convene an emergency meeting to discuss the issue; likewise the NSC?
Did any of the national sporting bodies request of either of the two afore-mentioned the convening of an emergency meeting to deal specifically with nominations for national awards? If they did not do so, they should stay quiet.
What of Hilbert Foster of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club; Leslie Black- Athletics Coach; Terrence Clarke and Victor Pires-Motor Sports; Sensei Dunbar-Karate; Hassan Mohamed-Cycling; and the Guyana Football Rugby Union? In the field of sports research there are Allan La Rose, Edwin Seeraj, Cosmo Hamilton and Charwayne Walker ‒ not forgetting GNNL’s Sports Editor.
Yours faithfully,
Lester Sealey
