– aggressively pursuing sports and youth development
After building her successful campaign on the promise that if elected she would aggressively pursue sports and youth development in St Cuthbert’s Mission (Pakuri), Beverley Clenkian has begun working towards delivering on what she has dubbed her commitment.
Toshao Beverley Clenkian with SKI Construction Managing Director Alex Mahaica after the presentation
As such, the Toshao has begun her work with a meeting involving SKI Construction Managing Director Alex Mahaica, where she made a request to have him partner with her and her community in enhancing sports development.
“I recognised that during the recently-held REO Inter-Secondary School Male Hardball Cricket Competition, he was passionate and sincere about helping the youths and after not being able to participate in the cricket competition, I thought it best to approach him with a request to help the youths in our community,” she said.
The Toshao further revealed that Mahaica presented a compete volleyball set to her and the community as an indication of his commitment and he would soon follow up with a table tennis table among other sporting gear to aid the community in its aggressive sports drive.
The Toshao noted that owing to the remoteness of her community, it was very difficult and costly for her youths to participate in a number of competitions. “We have talent and skills and we are confident that our youths can do very well; unfortunately, owing to the high cost of travelling, we are forced to decline many invitations.”
As such, Toshao Clenkian said that while the aim is to get the youths of the community involved in all sports, her primary focus at the moment was on cricket, volleyball, football, table tennis and athletics.
She said that they remained confident that if given an opportunity, the youths would excel. “We are not being taken seriously, because not many persons know about our ability, but I can say that if we get a chance to showcase, many persons would be impressed. We have been receiving a few exchanges as other communities would visit us to play in friendly competitions with the view of doing fundraisers and you can say that in many cases, we are underestimated.”
Toshao Clenkian reminded that she made a commitment when she was campaigning and she intended to fulfil that commitment, noting that the lack of positive activities and events were the main contributor to a number of social ills affecting the youths.
“I believe that if our young people have activities to get involved in then they may recognise that the social ills are not worth it, but, unfortunately, they have all the time on their hands to do it and that is why I am seeking avenues to help them in trying to recognise that social ills shouldn’t have no place in society,” the Toshao said.
In handing over the sport gear, Mahaica reminded the Toshao that maintaining the donated items at the highest level was critically important. “One of the sad things which we see regularly in Guyana is that you spend your hard-earned monies in securing gears and equipment for substantial amount of monies, but, unfortunately, those using it tend to forget that they are responsible for ensuring that it is taken care of properly so that many persons can benefit from them. “
He also disclosed that he was willing to assist in other areas, stating, “As a businessman I am giving my commitment that whenever and whatever that I can do to help in enhancing the community that I would certainly do.”
Toshao Clenkian admitted that she was overjoyed at the noble gesture of Mahaica. She thanked him and stressed that her community would certainly benefit significantly from the gear, promising to ensure that they were used properly and, more importantly, responsibly.
