DIRECTOR of Sport within the National Sports Commission (NSC) Neil Kumar yesterday told Chronicle Sport, he is impressed with the organising and playing-off of the recently concluded Georgetown Football Association (GFA)-organised, Banks DIH Limited-sponsored knockout cup.

Sunburst Camptown walked away with the G$4M top prize, after they defeated Riddim Squad 2-0 in the final of the second annual tournament which was declared open by both Kumar and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground on December 16, the same venue which hosted the final on New Year’s Day.
“Certainly, the organisers did a wonderful job in running-off this tournament for a second successive year, amidst the adverse weather conditions they faced, ensuring the venues and seating accommodations were in a pleasant manner not only for the teams and their supporters, but other invited guests.
Added to that, they held a very impressive opening ceremony with the tournament following on the same note, ensuring the sponsors and paying fans got their money’s worth for the matches they sponsored and attended respectively, for which I commend the GFA on a job well done,” stated Kumar.
He added, “I would like to say to the sponsors: Congrats for showing their support to such a wonderfully organised tournament, for which I am certain they got their money’s worth. I also want to take the time to say thanks and congratulations to the media for the wonderful job they did in ensuring all the matches were adequately covered, while they kept those who were unable to attend matches informed with results.”
On a sad note, Kumar expressed his sentiments at the present ongoing feud between the GFA and its parent company the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), while he called on the latter to disclose to the public the sum they received after removing the Golden Jaguars’ final World Cup Qualifying match to Houston, Texas, late last year.
“The GFF keeps telling us of their expenditures for the team, we don’t wish to hear about that, but rather how much they received for transferring the final game to Houston Texas. That is what the public is interested in hearing and they are not saying.
Added to that, I would like to see the feud between the GFF and the GFA come to an amicable end soon. Nothing or no one other than football has been suffering over the period of time and while I wish to take the opportunity to wish the fraternity all the best in 2013, it is my desire to see their dispute come to an end.”
He believes that the GFF should also use the subsidiary given by FIFA for women’s football, to develop that aspect of the sport locally, instead of investing on the overseas players, adding that something needs to be done about that, while quoting the proverb ‘Charity begins at home’.
“It would be nice to see the GFF use some of the money they receive from FIFA as a subvention, towards the development of female football right here in Guyana. I am not talking about bringing players from overseas to make up the female national team, but to use our own here.
“Added to that, they can use some of the subvention to further develop the game at the youth level locally. We are not hearing anything about any youth programmes being run by the GFF, so they need to do something about that as well,” stated Kumar.
In closing, he said former national defence stalwart Gordon ‘Ultimate Warrior’ Brathwaite will be running an Under-12 tournament for primary and secondary school students, early in the school year, as the NSC seeks to develop the sport of football at the grassroots level.