The new Director of Sport will have my full support, says GBA’s Steve Ninvalle

…thinks Sport Policy needs expert intervention

By Jemima Holmes

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) is still searching for a Director of Sport (DoS), and Steve Ninvalle, President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), has already pledged that whoever that individual is, he/she would get his full support.

While many in the Guyanese sporting fraternity have figuratively been holding their breath in anticipation of an announcement in this regard, it has been revealed that the process would take a little longer because the subject Minister for Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, wishes to follow the law in making the appointment.
The National Sports Commission Act dictates that the Commission must be in place, and its members would be the ones to appoint a Director of Sport. Ninvalle describes Minister Ramson’s decision to abide by the letter and spirit of the law as one with which he is comfortable.
Speaking exclusively with Guyana Times Sport, Ninvalle has pledged to throw his full support behind whoever is appointed to this position.
“If the time comes and whosoever is the Director of Sport, they will be given my full support, regardless of who that person is. I think the Government is doing the right thing by making sure they follow the Act that deals with the appointment of the Director of Sport. It’s not a game that you have to rush, but it is something that has to be pondered, and then this group will come up with whoever the Director of Sport is,” Ninvalle explained.
Questioned about the pressing issues that he thinks the incoming DoS should address, the GBA boss indicated that supporting and rewarding sports associations on the basis of transparency, with focus on the various needs of associations, is most important.
“We need to find out exactly what are the issues with sporting associations in this country. One: not all sporting associations have the same issue. Two: not all sporting associations should be put on the same tier. People may not want to believe it, but we have sports that are priority sports in this country,” Ninvalle expounded.
He explained that in times gone by, it appeared as though sports associations found favour with the Commission and the DoS based on personal relationships.
“What I think happened in the past (is that) resources and support were given to associations based on friendship,” Ninvalle stressed. “When I say based on friendship, you did not have a way that could withstand justification and scrutiny as to why this sport gets more than that.”
Ninvalle is suggesting that every disbursement of funds and assistance should be able to stand up to scrutiny.
“What have you (sporting association) done on an international level for the past four years? Who has brought gold, silver, whatever?” he asked as he explained the basis on which sporting
associations should be rewarded.
“So, I think all of these things needs to be done in a structured way that can stand up to scrutiny. So, at any one time, you may ask a question: ‘Why did boxing get this?’ And you say, ‘Well, because of this’,” he explained. “So, I think that those are important issues that need to be dealt with in an open and transparent manner. If you ask me if it will be done, I would say, ‘Yes, I think it will be done’,” he asserted.
On the topic of the National Sport Policy, which is still in the draft stage, the Boxing Association head admitted that there is still much to be done to ensure that the Policy would properly serve Guyanese athletes.
“I think there’s more that needs to go into that Sports Policy,” he initially stated.
As such, he made a suggestion on the direction that the proofing should take.