Director of Sport Christopher Jones has mentioned that “we have to see sport like a business and unless you invest in it you cannot get returns and these are the returns we are seeing from the little investment we have done thus far.” Jones had made this disclosure in relation to the excelling of local boxers in the recent Caribbean Development Boxing Tournament in Barbados.
Director of Sport Christopher Jones
Jones related that boxing is a sport that Guyana particularly shines in, but it is sad to see that the sport has not always been on the front burner when it comes to financial support.
We have heard the many cries of various gyms across the country, both in Georgetown and outside, for the increase in funding. Upon return from the land of flying fish, Chief Coach Sebert Blake had appealed to all the authorities for more support.
Jones added that a few months back, the National Sports Commission had made donations to gyms including the Forgotten Youths Foundation Boxing Gym, located in Albouystown, and “perhaps now we see the reciprocity of those donations. It further reiterates the point that as a National Sports Commission and a Government by extension we have to continue to invest in sports and the development of athletes.”
With boxing giving Guyana its only Olympic medal and Keevin Allicock already putting up his hand to signal his intent to win gold, Jones is of the opinion that there must be continued support from the National Sports Commission for this to happen.
“What the National Sports Commission needs to do is continue to work with the Amateur Boxing Association as we have been doing and more so strengthen those gyms across the country with whatever resources are needed,” the Director of Sport stated.
He went on to say that “every year there is an allocation to the National Sports Commission from the national budget for us to purchase sports gears which includes boxing equipment so it is in our possession, it is only for us to distribute them.”
Minister with responsibility for Sport, Nicolette Henry has already stated that the current administration has doubled the allocation in the 2017 budget for sports while President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), K. A. Juman Yassin has emphasized that the GOA will be doing everything in its power to support the sport.
