MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) Dr. Frank Anthony on Friday last paid a visit to the South Georgetown based Rasville Youth Organisation (RYO), where he engaged the youths and residents of that area while addressing matters of concern.

Dr. Anthony was accompanied by Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Nigel Dharamlall, and in addressing some of the concerns raised by the youths in the area, advised them to come on board with the President’s Youth Awards (PYA) programme.
“The PYA has three levels, bronze silver and gold and the community work being done in Rasville, can put you in line for one of those badges. But you are also expected to do some camping, wherein participants are being taught basic survival skills and every year there is about 2000 young people participating in this venture.
At the end of year award ceremony, once you would have completed the tasks assigned to you, the selected individuals will receive their respective pins, whether bronze, silver or gold, which can also see the best camper going onto represent Guyana in the Caribbean and later internationally” stated Dr. Anthony.
He also told the gathering, which included national Under-13 table tennis player Tyrique Saunders, that the PYA is recognized worldwide.
“There are so many programmes in which you can be involved in through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, such as the drama school for Beginner’s and Intermediate level which started in February this year at the National Cultural Centre.
“That is an option that can be explored by the members of the RYO, since the venue is within striking distance, along with musical lessons (both theoretical and practical) being taught on Brickdam.”
He added, “The Burrowes School of Art where free lessons are being taught in the profession by qualified teachers is another option available for you to explore through the Ministry, with all these lessons being taught to you freely, all you have to do is make yourself readily available on the schedule dates.”
Looking at the RYO’s annual fun day and day of sports, Dr. Anthony promised to assist with a few trophies, but called on the executives to get permission from the relevant authorities first.
Several youths raised queries on books for an educational department within the RYO, for which Dr. Anthony said he is not in a position to provide, but made reference to the Guyana Book Foundation.
The question was asked in relation to the provision of a tabletennis table in the interest of further developing the sport, to which Dr. Anthony pointed out to the collaborative efforts that is ongoing between the MCYS, Ministry of Education and Guyana Table tennis Association, with the view of having a table in every school across the country.
“I am not in a position to give you a board at the moment, due to the unavailability of the equipment and even if it was available, I still would not be able to give you one, since the Ministry in collaboration with the GTTA and Ministry of Education is on a drive to have a board in every school across Guyana.
However, players can go across to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, where we have coaches who are assigned to the Ministry, taking players through their paces in the sport of table tennis and that is within striking distance of you, so I urge you to take up that offer as well.”
Prior to leaving the area, Dr. Anthony promised to make available for recreational purposes sports gear such as footballs, table tennis and cricket equipment as soon as it is available to the RYO in the not too distant future.