Minister reiterates support for grass roots sports disciplines

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Frank Anthony reiterated that his Ministry, in an effort to build and strengthen alliances with members of the proletariat clan, has placed special emphasis on the promotion of community oriented sports disciplines, even as he reiterated his organisation’s intention to continue along this line.
The Minister made these remarks shortly after handing over the winners’ and runners’ up trophy to the captains of the Belfield Tigers and the Midsection Lions Football Clubs, for the just concluded inter-block football championships in Victoria, East Coast, Demerara.
Captain of the Belfield Tigers, Calvin De Souza collected on behalf of the winners, while Calvin De Souza performed the honours for the runners up.
The Sports Ministry has now taken its programmes to the Rasville community, predominantly comprising Rastafarians. Mr. Anthony said that his Ministry is bent on an all inclusive strategy in the promotion of sports. He said that currently his Ministry has inaugurated more than 54 youth camps across the country to hone the skills of participants in several sports disciplines.
“At the moment our primary focus is on football, basketball, volleyball and cricket,” the Minister revealed.
He said that of this number, 27 of these camps are focusing on training in specific sports disciplines. Also, starting next Monday, Under-15 cricketers would benefit immensely from a two-month stint, at a cricket academy at the National Stadium, Providence East Bank, Demerara.
The Minister disclosed that apart from the acquisition of cricketing skills, participants would also be exposed to training that caters for their all-round development.
Director of Youth and Sports, Neil Kumar, while urging support for the Sport Ministry’s programmes, intimated that the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Sports, where the two entities have installed a joint committee to oversee the smooth implementation of sports at the school level, is bearing fruit. He said that he is heartened by the positive results. Meanwhile, coordinator of the Victoria Inter-Block competition, Calvin Mark thanked the officials of the Ministry for the support rendered during the two-week tournament.
Action got underway on May 17 and concluded on June 28. In the finals, the Belfield Tigers triumphed over the Midsection Lions 5-1 to walk away with championship honours. Ryan Morrison and Rawleston Morrison each netted a double, while Aubrey Gibson polished off the onslaught with a solitary goal. Reuben Morris pulled one back for the losers.