Use sport as a medium to socialise

– Ramotar urges Essequibians at Dartmouth Emancipation Cycle Race

BY INDRAWATTIE NATRAM 

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party and presidential candidate in the 2011 general and regional elections, Donald Ramotar, has urged Essequibians from the Dartmouth community to use sport as a medium for socialising and emancipating themselves from the negatives and burdens in life.

Speaking at the Dartmouth village Emancipation Cycle Race on July 31, Ramotar said sport should be used as a pilot means in an effort to socialise and foster amicable relationships amongst youths and elders in the community.

He urged them to use the numerous African uprisings as examples to strive higher as a set of determined people. “We should channel ahead, use the various uprisings as an inspiration, as living examples to emancipate yourselves. We need to work together to make Guyana a better place.”

Ramotar congratulated the Dartmouth Neighbourhood Democratic Council for organizing the cycle race to mark emancipation.

He urged them to make full use of the competition, and to build social capital, erase the differences, and unite as a people.

Ramotar noted that sports help to fight against anti-social attitudes in communities, and also encourage healthy lifestyles.

Chairman of the Dartmouth NDC, Cornel Damon, said his NDC had decided to hold the cycle race in an effort to pay tribute to their African ancestors who had settled in Dartmouth.

He said the NDC would like to thank the Sport Ministry and the private businesses that collaborated to make the event a success. Region Two Chairman Alli Baksh also urged residents of Dartmouth to live in togetherness and to remember the struggles their forefathers went through.

The race, which kicked off from Charity at 10:00h, attracted 25 youths from the area, inclusive of four females. Male cyclists had to ride from Charity to Henrietta and back to Dartmouth, while the female riders rode from Charity to Walton Hall. Exton Benn won in the male category ahead of Kester George and Sherwin Allen, while Judesa Clarke won the female category ahead of Letisha Benn and Megan Peters.

In attendance were Regional Vice- Chairman Vishnu Samaroo; Director of Youth, Carl Brandon; Assistant Director of Youth, Davanand Ramdatt; and Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran.