Gov’t has kept its promise of inclusion for all in sports

GINA, GUYANA, Tuesday, November 1, 2016

The National Sports Commission (NSC) recently held the first Day of Sports for Special Needs Schools. Eight schools from Berbice, Linden and Georgetown participated in the event at the Guyana Defence Force’s ground, Camp Ayanganna.

Director of Sports, Christopher Jones told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the initiative is in keeping with the government’s manifesto that speaks to sports for all.   “As a government, we don’t only take responsibility of certain individuals, but rather all,” Jones said.

The event was also to lend support to the many special needs schools that find it difficult to have recreational activities.

Several teachers and parents expressed their gratitude to the NSC for coming on board to support the event, and for allowing the children the opportunity to participate. “It really brought joy,” Jones said,  “Even the little ones who were there too, you could have seen the excitement on their faces.”

Jones explained that for 2017, his department will examine ways of developing the recreational facilities at the special needs schools. Visits will be conducted for assessment, specifically as it relates to ground space and access to sports gear. Once the assessments on the grounds are completed, money from the Ground Enhancement Fund will be used to develop a few spaces for persons with disability.

Jones said he will petition on behalf of those schools to see as much as possible how he could allocate resources to enhance or upgrade whatever space they currently have so even in the absence of actual school sports, they will be able to have recreational activities in their own space.

 

By: Delon Sancho