Region Three to get sports coach
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport will soon deploy a sports coach in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three) to hone the skills of athletes there.
Minister, Charles Ramson Jr., MP, made the announcement on Sunday, during a ministerial outreach to the region.
He said the initiative fulfils the Government’s manifesto promise to develop and showcase athletes’ potential, both locally and internationally.
Since taking office in August 2020, the sport minister began redirecting the trajectory of the sport policy and infrastructure.
The move will allow for the hosting of much-anticipated tournaments which, in turn, will boost the country’s tourism sector and portfolios of local athletes.
“We’re doing a consultation with all of the sports associations that will be sometime around October…so, we’ve divided sports into core and non-core sports. All of the core sports will be part of that consultation so it’ll be like an actual conference.
“So, it’s not only a talk shop but they actually come there and they participate in finalising the details of the events of October, we’re ready to launch our academy,” Minister Ramson said.
Regarding the core sport aspect, the minister said the academy will offer sport coaches and organisers and will feature the nursery, tournaments and elite components. He wants the design of the facility to exceed the expectations of athletes, coaches and other stakeholders.
“We want to build an elite cricket academy there along with turning it into a multipurpose sports facility, an exercise facility that’s already happening. We are putting in a basketball court there, a football field, tennis, and a volleyball court.”
Additionally, the minister said the Tuschen Community Ground will receive a cricket coach, who will be paid for his services.
To this end, the sport minister urged residents to partner with his Ministry to ensure that the works undertaken would be done and at a high standard.
The Ministry in its 2021 budget earmarked $370 million to provide professional training for both athletes and coaches.
Some $1.5 billion will be used for sport development. From this sum, $915.5 million will be used for the improvement of community grounds countrywide. This includes the establishment of top multi-purpose sporting facilities of international standard in regions two, six and ten.
The Ministry also intends to utilise some $618 million to help assist in tournaments, maintain sport facilities and support selected sports associations.