Inaugural adult ‘Learn to Swim’ initiative commences

Scores of persons turned up at the National Aquatic Center at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara) on Saturday afternoon for what would be the commencement of Guyana’s inaugural adult ‘Learn to Swim’ programme.
Similar to the children’s programme, the initiative is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) and the National Sports Commission (NSC), and has attracted over 1500 registrants.

During the official opening ceremony on Saturday, subject Minister Charles Ramson Jr had words of encouragement for the prospective swimmers while promising the Ministry’s support.
“So I want to congratulate you guys; this is a big step for you. We are going to hold your hands while you’re doing this programme, and in the end, you’re going to get out of it what you put in,” the Minister shared with registrants gathered at Guyana’s premier aquatic facility.
Ramson Jr. added, “Don’t just come today and if you find it hard you give up. Everything about learning takes time, and at the beginning sometimes it is very hard; and because it’s hard you can also get discouraged. So, I’m saying, stick with it.”
Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, touched on the number of safety measures that have been employed for the smooth hosting of the programme. Ninvalle revealed, “Now, we are having you become swimmers under very controlled circumstances, and we have 32 coaches that would be charting your course over the next month, and we do hope that you grasp this chance that we’ve given, the MCYS and the NSC, and you make full use of it.
“We want to make sure that you’re safe, and that’s why you will see an ambulance is here even at this opening, and we’ll make sure an ambulance is at every single session that is being had,” Ninvalle promised.
The adult ‘Learn to Swim’ programme is set to run on weekends in June at two locations: the Aquatic Center and the Colgrain Pool in Georgetown.
Additionally, the Minister, in his remarks, promised the expansion of the initiative in future.
“We are going to be having in Berbice and in Linden, expanding this programme in July. So you, the 1500 people that are here participating in this programme today, you are going to be part of another wider pool in other parts of the country,” the Sport Minister declared.