MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Hon. Dr Frank Anthony has issued a stern warning to a number of schools. The minister at the time was speaking at the annual Independence table tennis presentation ceremony on Saturday.

Minister Anthony admonished a number of schools for what he said has been their failure to properly make use of the table tennis boards that his ministry had issued to them. “Right here in Georgetown you have a number of schools who received boards and they are not using them as they have them locked up in some room.
“What is the purpose of the board if it is being locked away in rooms and the students whom they are intended for cannot access them,” he asked.
The Minister noted that he has received and continues to receive numerous complaints from students who pointed out to him that they are unable to garner the required practice due to the fact that they do not have accessto the boards.
Expressing dismay at this behaviour, the minister said that his ministry invested large sums to acquire the boards. He said close to 600 were bought so as to distribute them nationwide.
“The purpose of giving these boards was to assist in forming various school clubs so that the students can practise and further develop their table tennis skills. When we were distributing these boards a number of schools told us that they have the system in place and they were given boards.
However, I am instructing the sports commission and the ministry to randomly visit schools that were given boards and if these boards are not being utilised they would be taken and given to other schools,” he declared.
The minister noted that a number of schools continue to approach his ministry for boards and other assistance with a view of further enhancing a table tennis programme within their school.
“We will not sit by and see that other schools need boards and can’t get any because some of the schools that got are not using theirs,” he said.
He noted that currently a list is being complied with all the schools that had received boards so that an evaluation and examination can be undertaken as to which schools are maximising the use of the ministry’s equipment.
He told those gathered that there is a need for more clubs urging all the schools to make full use of what he said has been his ministry’s granting of opportunities.
“I must add that I think that something is fundamentally wrong for these boards which have cost us so much of money being locked away and not being used. We will have to find a way of addressing the problems and issues confronting the students in their continued drive to improve their skills and ability in the sport,” he said.
The minister said that he is ashamed at the action of some of the schools noting that the purpose of issuing the boards was to develop and further enhance the table tennis programmes being instituted in the schools.
He added that while there has been mixed reaction by the schools to the usage of the boards he is confident that with the current approach and initiatives being implemented by the Guyana Table Tennis Association and the National Sports Commission that it augurs well for the sport. Minister Anthony further added that with various and consistent developmental programmes being implemented, Guyana will produce players that would put the country on the map internationally.