By Avenash Ramzan
One week, three venues, one big championship.
That’s the theme of the 59th annual National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championship, set for November 17-22.
The event, which was launched on Wednesday afternoon in the Bertram Hamilton Auditorium of the Guyana Teachers’ Union, will be held at the National Park, the National Aquatic Centre and the National Track and Field Centre with student/athletes from 15 districts competing.
The general consensus by stakeholders is that the 2019 edition of the event would be “bigger and better.”
It was also announced that His Excellency President David Granger is the Patron of this year’s event.
Marcel Hutson, Chief Education Officer: “These championships- at the Ministry of Education we do not take them lightly, for several reasons. There are some who would like to believe that these championships are planned as just a season for some people to maybe enjoy some time and there are different views about what happens during this period. But I want to say from the inception that these championships are well-organised and orchestrated because of the benefits that they bring to our students.”
Mark Lyte, President- Guyana Teachers’ Union: “The Guyana Teachers’ Union plays a very important role in ensuring that we arrive at this stage, the National Championships. As you would know, we just do not wake up one morning and say we’re going to have a National Championships. We would have started in September observing the various schools with their Inter-House Athletics Championships, which then moved into the Inter-School and Inter-Zone Championships. I’m proud to inform that in all our districts- the 15 districts that would be participating in these championships- we have concluded the Inter-Zone Championships and we are ready to commence the National Championships. Our Secretariat is in place and presently doing registration from the different Districts. We believe that we are ready to observe a championship with a difference.”
Coretta McDonald, General Secretary- Guyana Teachers’ Union: “I need to emphasise that we’re going to be starting on time, so if you’re not there we will start without you. If a District is not there we will start without that District because we need to manage our time properly. I know you would have gotten accustomed to us running very late into Friday evening (the final day of the Championships) and then into the night, but let me assure you that this year we’re not going to be going into Friday night for the closing of the Championships, which means that our events are going to be on time.”
Aaliyah Rodrigues, Hits and Jams Entertainment: “On behalf of Hits and Jams, Guyana Carnival and HJ Radio, it’s a pleasure to be here. It’s amazing to see the Ministry of Education collaborating with the Guyana Teachers’ Union (and) helping students to realise their full potential as an athlete. Not only can sports be seen as entertainment, but it also promotes physical and psychological advantages.”
Troy Peters, Communications Manager- Banks DIH Limited: “I bring greetings from the management and staff of Banks DIH Limited to you the organisers and the competitors of the 59th National Schools’ Championships. Banks DIH is happy to fulfill its Corporate Social Responsibility by partnering with other key stakeholders, but our relationship with the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers’ Union goes from the inception of this event.”
