Rugby, volleyball voice support for sport’s Budget allocation

The respective Presidents of the Rugby and Volleyball Federations have recently voiced their support for this year’s $4.6 billion budget allocation for sport, as announced by Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, in the National Assembly on Monday last.
Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) President Ryan Dey shared, “The budget on a whole is very impressive, the amount of good that it would do cannot be overstated. Kudos to the Government of Guyana. When it comes specifically to the budget for sports, the union thinks… it’s well-needed and deserved, with the budget being almost doubled for 2024. We now can have a more positive outlook on the year ahead.
“For the union we were able to make it to the Rugby Americas North U19 championships and the senior men were able to make the Grenada International Sevens championships, approximately 90 per cent of our funds came from the National Sports Commission through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and the union looks forward for the continued support that the Ministry is giving to rugby.
“The new budgetary allocation coupled with my union’s current relationship with the National Sports Commission speak volumes in terms of the commitment to our union and other sports associations. To meet any of the top brass in the NSC is easy as a phone call away and they’re always welcoming to listen to our issues, and the union hopes that this continues especially now that they have more than enough to spend in helping sport’s development in the country.
“The direction that the union wants to see sports heading is the exact direction we are going. From the sports academy for children and teens to the high performance centres for the elite senior sportsmen and women, our country will be on the map not only with oil and our eco-tourism, but as one of the best sporting countries in this part of the world.”
On the other hand, Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) President Levi Nedd articulated, “The Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) wishes to extend a prosperous 2024, to the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports.
“The Guyana Volleyball Federation has welcomed the budget with wide open arms. Which will work as a catalyst, to further develop/improve volleyball as it did in 2023. The budget has permitted the Ministry in giving its ardent and unwavering support, which assisted the GVF to achieve renewed overseas participation in Brazil, Barbados, French Guiana, and Suriname. Hosting of international invitational male and female matches with French Guiana, Suriname, and Trinidad. Thanks to the NSC, who has supported these ventures tremendously. Notwithstanding the continued support of coaches and players of the academy, which saw massive turnouts at the National Gymnasium, Region Five and Six and the hinterland region. Some 200 odd new faces, both males and females, were trained, some of which are now participating in the senior competitive category.
The volleyball fraternity looks forward to the continued support from the Ministry, which is a surety.
Last but not least, the GVF thanks the Ministry for the monetary subvention, presented to us, for the survival of volleyball.
The Federation looks forward to a successful 2024.”