By Avenash Ramzan
With the North American and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) Sevens championship just three weeks away, the Sport Ministry came to the aid of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU), donating one million Guyana dollars to assist with expenses associated with participation in the prestigious event.
The championship, which has attracted a record number of teams, will feature 15 men’s teams and 10 women’s, including representatives from U.S.A and Canada, and will be staged from Truman Bodden National Stadium in the Cayman Islands on November 9-10.
At a brief, but significant ceremony at the Sport ministry’s office on Main Street, Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony presented a cheque to GRFU secretary Nicole Nero in the presence of other officials of the Union and Director of Sport, Neil Kumar.
Dr Anthony said it was an “easy decision” to support the ruggers, given the men’s team’s outstanding performance at the championships over the past decade. The Guyanese won the title successively from 2006 to 2011 and were runners-up in 2012.
The minister noted that when his office was approached by GRFU president Peter Green for assistance, he had no reservations, since rugby’s “track record speaks volumes”.
Dr Anthony also used the opportunity to call on other entities and organisations to offer support, since participation at major events such as the NACRA championships, is an expensive undertaking.
He said the ministry would usually work with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to waive taxes for teams travelling overseas, and in this case it would be no different.
So far, the GRFU has solicited assistance from the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), which have donated Gy$1 million dollars and Gy$500,000 respectively.
Speaking on behalf of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Kumar said the administration has always been impressed with the work of the GRFU, adding that transparency and accountability have always been the hallmark of the Union’s operations.
He said the NSC, and by extension the Sport Ministry, has confidence in the leadership of the GRFU, hence the swiftness with which the request was fulfilled.
President Green, who is also the head of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation, said the Sport Ministry has always been receptive to his call for assistance, adding that Dr. Anthony has been unwavering in his support.
In praising the work of Dr. Anthony, Green also mentioned that the GRFU is making “last ditch efforts” to ensure Guyana is adequately represented at the championship, which also serves as a qualifier for the 2014 CASCO Games in Veracruz, Mexico.
Meanwhile, the top four men’s Caribbean teams at the NACRA Sevens will join hosts Mexico, while the top three women’s teams, plus Mexico, will compete in 2014.
To add further incentive, the top men’s Commonwealth team at the NACRA Sevens is likely to be invited to participate in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, along with Canada.
Initially, the GRFU had both the national men’s and women’s teams down to participate, but due to financial constraints, it was left with no choice but to withdraw the female unit.
According to Green, the total cost of both teams was approximately ten million dollars, with each player listed at an estimated Gy$375,000. To date, the GRFU has raised four million dollars.
Green said the Union will now resort to sending the women’s team to the Tobago Sevens in December to play against the very teams that will be competing in the Cayman Islands. That tournament has a top prize of US$10,000.
In the men’s competition at NACRA next month, Guyana will come up against the Cayman Islands, U.S.A, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, British Virgin Islands, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Curacao.
The women’s tournament will attract teams from the Cayman Islands, U.S.A, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and Curacao.
