Guyana’s hockey on the rise, says Phillip Fernandes

TIMES INT'L
Phillip Fernandes

President of the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) Phillip Fernandes believes that hockey in Guyana is definitely on the rise, despite the many challenges the game faces.
Fernandes comments came at the official opening ceremony of the eighth Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hokey tournament which is currently underway at the National Gymnasium.
“Over the years, Guyana hockey has grown tremendously because of tournament of this nature and also the input of our neighbouring teams Trinindad and Tobago and Barbados. Their quality of hockey is higher than us here in Guyana and with Guyana and these two teams played against each other, it had has definitely helped our game to improve,” Fernandes said.
Fernandes continued “Money remains our biggest setback as very little financial assistance can be expected from the government and it is difficult for our local hockey board to raise the necessary funds. It is the hoped that we can generate more interest in the coming years to increase our hockey-playing fraternity enough to justify asking for assistance”.
The GHB President welcomed all overseas teams and players and thanked them for making the special effort to be part of the premier tournament.
Fernandes specially acknowledged the Canadian players, who he said had to offset a huge budget in order to participate in the tournament, adding that their effort to be here is a testimony that the game has grown over the years.
Also making brief remarks were representatives of DDL, Ansa Mcal and Digicel who all expressed how pleased their respective companies are to be associated with the tournament. Director of Sport, Neil Kumar, also made brief remarks in the absence of Sport Minister Dr. Frank Anthony.
The respective winners of the Men and Women’s categories will receive US$1000 runners-up, US$500. The winner of the Veteran Division will take home US$500, while the runner-up gets incentive prizes.
Old Fort and Flora GCC are the men and women’s defending champions, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Fatima is the veterans defending champions.

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