THE cheers and chants of proud hockey supporters and fans at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall were just one feature of the one-week Exxon Mobil Pan Am Indoor Championships which officially opened yesterday.

Five days of exciting hockey is expected to take place at the Homestretch Avenue facility as promised by Guyana Hockey Board president Philip Fernandes during the opening.
“I would like to hear good things about Guyana when you go back to your country,” the GHB boss added.

Also present at the brief ceremony was president of the Guyana Olympic Association K.A. Juman-Yassin who commended the Board for its work, calling on the government to make good on several words of promise to the board.
“I’m certain that with this new minister who is a sportsman at heart and the minister to my left, Minister Gaskin, who is an avid sportsman, I hoping that they would be able to team up to convince Cabinet to give a piece of land so that hockey can have its own,” he said.
Pan American Hockey Federation representative Derick Sanderson was delighted to be in Guyana for the tournament, saying, “I’d like to congratulate Guyana on their improved performances throughout the year in hockey.”

Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr George Norton, promised to have a response for the board within a week with regard to proposed lands.

“Very shortly, I will be taking up the plea of the Guyana Hockey Board to the highest authority and probably before the weekend is out, I will be in a better position, for all of us to cheer in appreciation for what can be done here in Guyana,” He said.
Dr Norton also opened the tournament by firing off the first official shot in the presence of GHB officials, Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, and Director of Sport Christopher Jones.