Sport Minister urges greater numbers to join academy after over 2,000 graduate from swim camp

Over 2,000 children graduated from the Easter ‘learn to swim’ programme organized by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, and subject Minister, Charles Ramson Jr., urged the parents to place their children into the Ministry’s swim academy.

Speaking during the closing ceremony on Saturday at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal, Minister Ramson Jr. indicated that it is important there are high numbers in the nursery programme.

“We want the numbers to increase. It is very clear that when we are looking to build an academy, at our nursery level, we need many more participants, young people who are going to be involved in the sport from which it operates in a progressive way.

So, we can take the best athletes, the best swimmers to graduate to the next levels where they become elite athletes, the Minister told the massive gathering, noting that we will soon meet again with the executives of the Guyana Amateur  Swimming Association

The Minister reaffirmed that there will be the July-August ‘learn to swim’ programme while in July there will be an Adult ‘learn to swim programme’ and the Aquatic centre will be open to the public on weekends.

Before the year ends, he promised adequate lights for the facility to allow night swimming.

Additionally, Minister Ramson Jr. along with Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, congratulated Raekwon Noel for this recording-breaking feat of five gold medals at the recently concluded CARIFTA Swimming Championships in Curacao,

Ninvalle said they have spoken to Noel and they will be assisting with his further development.

Close to 60 coaches oversaw the activities and the Director of Sport highlighted there were no issues regarding the safety of the young pupils.

The programme, which has developed into a national platform, and is specifically geared towards children aged 6-18, was conducted simultaneously at four facilities.

The venues were the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal; the Colgrain Swimming Pool, Georgetown; the Watooka Swimming Pool, Linden; and the Albion Estate Pool, East Berbice.

Experienced national coach Paul Mahaica served as the programme coordinator and lead trainer.