Director of Sport Jones pledges assistance to sports in Wakenaam

Oct 18, 2017 Sports

By Zaheer Mohamed

Director of Sport Christopher Jones (centre) and Councillor Perry Birbal (5th from left) with some members of the Good Success Sports Club.

On his visit last Sunday to the Essequibo river island of Wakenaam, Director of Sport Christopher Jones has pledged his assistance towards the development of sports in the area. Jones was visiting on the invitation of the Wakenaam Cricket Committee to witness the final of the V Net T20 Blast which was contested between Sans Souci Jaguars and G Square Cavaliers at the Wakenaam Community Centre ground in Good Success. Sans Souci Jaguars won the contest by 37 runs.
Speaking with the media, Jones said he is impressed with the commitment of the members of the Good Success Sports Club and the passion for sports by the people on the island.
“Good Success Sports Club must be commended for the work that they are doing, in fact I didn’t anticipate a facility (Wakenaam Community Centre ground) of this sort until I came here. I am very impressed, it is clear that a lot of maintenance is being put into this facility and by testimony a number of outstanding Guyanese athletes would have been produced,” he said.
“I recognised that there are seven cricket clubs operating here and the NSC by extension the Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Sports Dr. George Norton, we will lend support to what is happening here in Wakenaam” he added.
Jones pointed out that himself and Dr. Norton will re-visit the island and meet with the clubs to render assistance. “Minister Norton once his availability, we will be coming back to the Island and meet the clubs and that’s where we will be making these arrangements formally known with members doing a hand over and so on,” he said.
With support from Jones, Guyanese lightweight boxer Revlon Lake, earlier this year, opened a boxing gym in the village of Maria Johanna in Eastern Wakenaam, and the club has won three gold medals and one silver medal on their first outing.
Jones pledged his continued support for the gym and delivered on his promise whereas gym equipment was handed over to Lake.
“We want to encourage as much participation in sport and we will look at the other facilities so we can help with volleyball, football, athletics and so on, and equipment will be made available for these disciplines,” stated Jones.
“I met with Councillor Mr. Perry Birbal and he pointed out that two such facilities need upgrading. Dr. Norton has been moving around the country focusing on ground enhancement and care projects so we will be meeting with Mr. Birbal on our next visit to see those facilities and offer assistance,” said Jones who informed that he mission of the Ministry of Social Cohesion is to indentify and make available such facilities across Guyana so that young people can excel in their various disciplines.
Former West Indies Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, Travis Dowlin, Rafeek Rahaman, Keemo Paul, Ricardo Adams, powerlifter Richard Mark Seymour, Lake, National sprint queen Alita Moore, National schools U16 champion girl Cyanna Retemiah, National Schools U14 200 and 400 record holder Nkosie Dazzel, former national middle distance stars Yuvraj and Yougeshwar Jaichand, are some of the outstanding sports persons to have surfaced from Wakenaam.