Rain forces abandonment of Nat. Schools’ Championships
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand briefing officials at St. Joseph High School sports village.
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand briefing officials at St. Joseph High School sports village.

MILLIONS invested, millions lost and hearts broken as rain forces organisers to abandon this year’s National Schools Swimming, Cycling and Track and Field Championships in the City.Heavy overnight showers and into yesterday morning caused widespread flooding in and around Georgetown and the Camp Ayanganna ground was not spared.
With only the centre of the field visible, Guyana Teachers Union President Mark Lyte, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand and the Director of the event Ceon Bristol turned up at the venue and were left with no choice but

A wide shot of a flooded Camp Ayanganna ground.
A wide shot of a flooded Camp Ayanganna ground.

to cancel.
The decision was taken sometime after 09:00hrs.
Lyte said the abandonment was ‘disappointing’ and the result has ‘broken the hearts of many students who trained all year’ for the event.
He said all avenues were considered before the decision was taken as they hoped to salvage the championships.
After the decision was taken, the organsiers called the Team Managers and District Reps together in the Games Village to inform them of the decision and urge them to make alternative arrangements to have their athletes return to their respective districts.
Just 24-hours earlier, Lyte had made the call for serious discussions to be had on the future of the championships and sports in Guyana. He made a pitch to hold the 2015 event on the Synthetic track at Leonora.
On this he said ‘I hope a decision from the powers that be make a decision to hold future championships on the synthetic track and I hope they do some serious work on it so by next year we will know early where they (championships) will be.’
Mr. Lyte could not put a dollar value on the event, he said the Ministry of Education handled the spending, however, Public Relations Officer for the event Edison Jeffords said more than 30 million dollars was invested in the week-long event.
In the 55th edition of the championships in 2015 – the GTU will not have to add to its record book – a fourth time that rain has forced the abandonment of the event.
Almost 15 years ago, it was last abandoned – Anna Regina in 1995. Records show it was first abandoned in 1961, in the 3rd year and then again in 1964.
But organisers, students, teachers and fans weren’t the only ones robbed of two days of the event, concessionaires as well.
They were forced to cut their losses and ‘close-shop’. Jeffords met with and informed them of the executive decision. They are to be reimbursed for the days they were unable to sell their goods.
North Georgetown gets to keep their title as defending champions for another year, albeit by default.

(By Leeron Brumell)

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