…  JICA volunteers coach for six months
MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony yesterday indicated the Government of Guyana and his Ministry’s interest at developing the sport of swimming and taking it to the next level at a simple but significant press conference. This he indicated when addressing the media in the Ministry’s conference room, as he highlighted the support from the Japanese International Cooperative Association (JICA), a volunteer organisation who helps in sports and other areas of development.
The JICA has sent swimming instructor Ms Kumika Inuzuka who will be here for six months, during which time she will be conducting sessions in three categories for local swimmers and potential lifeguards.
Inuzuka has over 20 years swimming experience and has worked in Panama, Guatemala and her homeland Japan, before coming to Guyana where she commenced training young swimmers between the ages of 5 and 12 years at the National Aquatic Centre last Monday.
Inuzuka, who will be conducting sessions throughout Guyana, will be doing so in the categories of beginners, safety and lifeguard and will in a few days time, commence training in Linden before travelling to Berbice where she will be holding sessions at the Guysuco-owned pools.
In a short address she expressed thanks to the Government of Guyana and her gratitude to be here to share her knowledge with the Guyanese people and pledged to assist in taking Guyana to the next level in swimming.
Also present were Permanent Secretary Alfred King and Director of Sport Neil Kumar.
Giving a brief overview of Inuzuka’s programme and activities, the JICA indicated that Guyana will now be able to benefit from this programme as never before and will see the development of the sport.
This development will take place in the areas of technical, coaching, the beginners programme for all ages and the swimming safety lifeguard programme for which there is a dying need at the moment throughout the world.
Kumar was very passionate for the new development and noted that his department is fully committed to this developmental programme and echoed similar sentiments as the Minister in his address.