Assistance for Perseverance to boost youth development
DPI, Guyana, Friday, November 15, 2019
To create well-rounded individuals who will have a role in the national development of the country, Minister of Social Cohesion, Hon. Dr. George Norton has promised to assist residents of the Perseverance Housing Scheme in the establishment of their playground.
Responding to a request made, on Thursday evening during a community meeting, the minister explained that while his department is not directly responsible for this infrastructural development, it will partner with the relevant agency to do so.
“While we are discussing the construction of your playfield. We must ensure it is done properly, with all the necessary amenities – a proper pavilion, washroom and change rooms. We must maintain strict standards when providing such facilities for our citizens,” he remarked.
Minister Norton also observed that the community is also in need of a multi-purpose centre which will provide residents with the space to host their community meetings as well as remedial classes or sports activities.
A resident, Alicia Samaroo disclosed that the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has already earmarked an area in the community to establish a playfield; however, this process has been ongoing for over a year. This delay, she noted, has resulted in the residents looking to alternatives to ensure the young people in the community have the opportunity to engage in the various sporting disciplines. Among these is the establishment of the Korean International Martial Arts Guyana (KIMAG) dojang, managed by Chairman and Chief Instructor, Roland Eudoxie.
“We are currently in the process of constructing a facility for my students… at this moment we are in the designing phase; however, I do have the land to do so, but Rome was not built in a day… I need some assistance so that it [dojang] can be completed in a timely manner,” Eudoxie explained.
Eudoxie and many of his students have participated in several Martial Arts competitions both local and overseas. In August of this year, Eudoxie and four members of KIMAG were part of the Guyanese team that represented the country at the Shuriken 5th International Martial Championship held in Nickerie, Suriname.
Minister Norton welcomed the news of the establishment of the dojang, and pledged to assist. He also called on other residents to make the completion of the building a community effort, especially as several young people from the community and surrounding areas benefit from the programme offered at KIMAG club.
Editor’s Note: A dojang is s a term used in Korean Martial Arts to describe a formal training hall. It is typically considered the formal gathering place for students of a martial art to conduct training, examinations and other related encounters.