Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle has given the National Sports Commission (NSC) a rating of “phenomenal” as they approach their four-year anniversary; chalking up their success to the establishment of a clear vision.
The Director of Sport made this assertion in reference to the significant investments in sports under the leadership of President Dr Irfaan Ali over the past few years.

It has now been four years since Ninvalle – a former Deputy Permanent Secretary, Member of Parliament and the current President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) – was appointed Director of Sport, back in 2021.
He believes the landscape of sports in Guyana has changed dramatically under Minister Charles Ramson Jr, particularly in the way the Government engages with national federations and associations.
“It’s not the National Sports Commission beating our own drum,” Ninvalle explained, noting that numerous associations have publicly acknowledged the renewed, strengthened relationship with the Government. “The relationship that we have or we are having with all associations, it’s nothing less than phenomenal.”
“What we do is listen more than we speak. That way, we’re able to fully understand the issues facing these associations, and work together to solve them,” he said. “We are more accessible and responsive.”
“If you ask me if we have finished working, no, there’s a lot of work left to be done. But if I look back, as of from 2020 to now, it is nothing short of being phenomenal.”
Between 2020 and 2025, the Government of Guyana allocated a record $21.61 billion to sports development, a historic investment that Ninvalle says underscores the Administration’s commitment to nurturing athletic talent, promoting wellness, and elevating Guyana’s profile on the global sports stage.
Ninvalle highlighted that under President Ali’s leadership, the national sports budget has consistently grown.
In 2020, the Ministry of Sport received $805.3 million. This nearly doubled in 2021 to $1.5 billion, rose to $2.4 billion in 2022, expanded to $4.3 billion in 2023, then to $4.6 billion in 2024, and finally surged to $8 billion in 2025, marking the largest sports budget in the country’s history.
The recent $8 billion allocation in the 2025 National Budget, a 73.9 per cent increase over the previous year, highlights the Government’s unwavering commitment to sport under the stewardship of Minister Ramson Jr.
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, shortly after the NSC handed over $3 million to the East Demerara Football Association to fully sponsor its upcoming league, Ninvalle sidestepped questions that invited comparisons between the current NSC and past administrations.
“I would not want to delve into the past,” Ninvalle said, “because as being a President of an association, I know exactly what went on, so for me it’s refreshing both as the Director of Sport and as the President also of an association.”
According to Ninvalle, “this National Sports Commission, we are driven by a vision and that vision has been laid down by the Honourable Minister (Ramson Jr) and we work over time to make sure that that vision is achieved.”
He added, “most of the associations, if not all, are much more comfortable now, because they can reach out, we are accessible and we are responsive as a National Sports Commission.”
The Director of Sport made it clear that the core approach of the NSC and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, is working closely with all stakeholders to develop sports and support their initiatives, which will continue to be a defining hallmark of the Government of Guyana.