Dear Editor,
It reminds me of the days of yore when cricket was a highly segregated sport in British Guiana.
There was a saying that if one could get selected for the GCC (Georgetown Cricket Club), one could be selected for B.G.
However, not all the eleven players selected to represent B.G. were from the GCC; they selected a couple from other Georgetown Cricket Clubs.
It was not until the great Barbadian cricketer Clyde Walcott was hired as a coach by Sir Jock Campbell (then head of Bookers Sugar Estates) that “country boys” such as the great Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Joe Solomon, Ivan Madray, and the likes were given an equal opportunity to play for B.G., and the rest is history. Rohan Kanhai is said to have put B.G. on the map with his exploits on the cricket field in foreign lands.
Today, our country is well-off, and tons of money are allocated in each annual budget for sports, but who benefits? Not the countryside folks. Mainly the players in or around Greater Georgetown benefit the most. There is not a level playing field, to use that proverbial term.
When I look at two sports in particular, I find that the Government funding is not being permeated to the rural part of our country, just as it happened prior to the Walcott/Kanhai era.
For squash, all I see are rich people from some select families from the city and surrounding perimeter playing in these tournaments. Some don ‘t even look like they should be on a squash court. Is there a fitness level that they have to achieve?
For badminton, two siblings have represented the country for the longest time. Of course, these two would always be selected because they are probably the best, but the best out of which competition?
What is their world ranking? When last did either one has an Olympic qualifying ranking?
The Sports Minister and the Director of Sports need to consider shedding those expensive suits, rolling up their sleeves, and accounting for the massive spending of the taxpayer dollars allocated in the annual budget.
Do we need to find new visionaries such as Sir Clyde Walcott and Sir Jock Campbell to bring us back to a level playing field?
Let us have equity in sports. No player should be left behind because of where they live or because they are poor.