Tournaments the real driver of talent, says Sport Minister

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport will be rolling out tournaments in different sport disciplines to select above-average athletes for focused training, in keeping with plans to create an elite cadre of local sports men and women.

Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr., made this disclosure during an interview on Kaieteur Radio on Friday evening.

“Tournaments will be the real driver for talent and the stadiums will be the finisher. The real fuel of that finisher is the elite training programme and we are moving ahead with it. Sport is certainly advanced now in the modern world [with] billions and billions of dollars for sport entertainment…[We want to] put us on the map and reinforce Guyana as the country with these programmes to develop our talent into world class,” he said.

While sport is also beneficial for exercise and relaxation, the Ministry is focused on creating professional athletes. To this end, the sport policy will be changed and infrastructure built, and maintained, to ensure that tournaments can be accommodated.

“We have to go through a re-education process and that’s why we want to go heavy on tournaments next year…Guyana has too many grounds that are not being sustained; they need drainage, infrastructure work, pavilions and toilets,” he said.

Last month, Minister Ramson visited the Albion Cricket Ground in East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six), which will be developed into a multi-purpose sport facility. Multi-purpose facilities will also be established in Regions Two and Ten. (DPI)