Guyana darts team thanks NSC for its continued support of darts

Dear Editor,
Let us take this opportunity to again congratulate the Guyana team for performing so well in the Qualifier of the Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean (CDLC) tournament.
Mr Norman Madhoo must especially be thanked, for he continues to make us proud of his achievements in darts, and he has again proven to be the premier darts player in Guyana. He will now represent us at the PDC World Championships.
I would also like to commend the Guyanese contingent on their effective fund-raising efforts to enable their participation in this event in Chile. We, of the Guyana Darts Association, have always encouraged fundraising in our affiliates. It should not be expected that the National Sports Commission would be fully funding all international teams, those teams have to show that they at least attempted to garnish some funds themselves.
Prior to his letter in your newspaper on Saturday, October 21, labelled “Guyana’s Darts Contingent is lacking support from the Guyana Darts Association and Sports Ministry”, we had never heard of Mr Mustafaa Azimullah, apparent author of the letter. We would like to clarify some issues that he may not be aware of:
– The Guyana Darts Association is a very small organisation that, despite our scarcity in numbers, has been the driving force behind the development of darts for decades. Because of our small membership, our financial capability is meagre, but we try our best to fund our activities with fund-raisers and donations. The accomplishments of our internationally recognised players such as Mr Madhoo serve to assist us in gaining visibility.
– The Darts Association this year decided to FULLY sponsor a team of players to attend a Qualifier in Costa Rica in May 2023. Apart from fundraising activities, we reached out to Corporate Guyana and friends to garner funds and donations. By far, the most generous of those donations was received from the National Sports Commission. On that occasion, we sent four players, three of whom were in the recent elimination in Chile. Our results were excellent.
– In June 2023, the Guyana Darts Association decided to FULLY sponsor a doubles team in darts to attend the World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt Germany. Again, our greatest financial contributor was the NSC. Our results were not good.
-We again attempted to raise funds for the Qualifier in Chile this month. Funds were received from NSC, but only after the team had already departed for Chile. We are, however, pleased to note the success of the participants in their own fundraising. Perhaps this donation can now be better applied to our Champion’s (Mr Norman Madhoo’s) expenses in the PDC World Darts Championship to be held in the UK in December this year!
Perhaps Mr Azimullah would be better served in the future if he should do some investigation prior to his sensationalist claims. The Executive of the GDA is free to meet with him prior to his next publication on darts.
We would like to take this opportunity to once again thank the NSC for their continued support of darts. And hope that these ill-informed letters do not dampen the relationship that the GDA has with the NSC.
Good Luck Norman! Make us proud once again.

Bernice Edwards
Secretary, Guyana
Darts Association