NSC concludes Easter Swimming programme

…You can have the commitment and assurance that this will be a yearly programme – Ramson Jr

…8M in pool touch pads expected to arrive next month

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has successfully hosted an Easter Swimming programme at the Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal, ECD.

It recently came to an end in a simple ceremony at which
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, delivered the feature address. He assured the parents and participants of this programme that it would be a yearly event.
“When I got older and started to do a lot of things, sports generally opened a lot of doors for me. It taught me so much. A lot of the things you learn playing organized sport and competitive sport, you don’t learn in school, and those things are very invaluable to who you become in life and how you succeed,” he said.

“All the parents here, education is very important, but I would rank just short of that being involved in organized and competitive sport. The fact that you have so many people here, on behalf of the Government of Guyana, this is a successful programme. So, you can have the commitment and the assurance that this will be a yearly programme,” Ramson Jr explained.
He also assured the crowd that, for both sport (all 12 disciplines) and culture, there will be a summer camp and summer programme that would commence this year and continue for as long as he leads this Ministry.

Further, he explained that sporting disciplines such as football, cricket, swimming among others, are going to become available this summer and every summer hereafter.
Minister Ramson also reiterated that the Sport Ministry has purchased pool touch pads which are expected to arrive next month, in time for the launching of the Sports Academy for Swimming.
These pads have been estimated to cost eight million dollars, and would therefore allow for accurate timing of races and enable Guyana to host swim meets.
In closing his remarks, the Minister said, “This further leads back to the philosophy of how we are running the country: One Guyana; one family promoting families,” he posited.

President of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association, Dwayne Scott, in sharing his remarks, said the initiative is in keeping with the Minister’s desire to see sports grow in Guyana. He mentioned that GASA fully supports the initiative, as it is part of the building blocks in terms of development and bringing more people to the sport.
Scott relayed that this development in regard to the touch pads would see growth in the sport, as it would attract new participants and would afford Guyana the chance to participate in regional and international competitions.
Among the many speakers was Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle, who said, “This is the largest amount of participants we have had in the history of this programme. This could not have been possible without the commitment, the tenacity and determination of the swimming and coaching staff of the NSC. This what we have here is because of astute leadership that we have at the helm of the NSC and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport. For the first time, we have been able to waive the fee, as the Honourable Minister insisted that if this programme is to run, it must be done without parents having to pay a fee to be part of that,” Ninvalle disclosed.
He also related that this programme would continue, and for it to continue this way, everyone must work collaboratively.
Echoing the same sentiments was Commissioner of the NSC, Christy Campbell, who commended the coaching staff for supervising the programme for the past two weeks. Further, she congratulated the participants, and expressed certainty that they have learned a lot during the period.
Campbell also emphasized on the need for the public to have free access to the pool outside of club training and national training. She promised that once the NSC has determined what needs to be done, and there are scheduled arrangements with the national federations, persons can be assured that they would have access to the facilities – whether they are part of a club or not – free of cost.
The Swimming Programme was open to children 6-16 years old, and was hosted at Colgrain Pool in Georgetown, Watooka Guest House in Linden, Albion Estate in Berbice, and the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.