GUYANA Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) president Nigel Hinds called it “an absurdity and an aberration” but His Excellency President Donald Ramotar called it “nonsense” with regard to the sports local governing body having to pay for the usage of the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. 

The GABF had paid $32 000 to the National Sports Commission (NSC), as they prepare their male and female teams to represent Guyana at this year’s CBC Championship which bounces off on July 1 in Tortola.
But Hinds had pointed out that while he understands paying to use the venue to host tournaments, it’s not fair for any team to pay while preparing for an international engagement.
“It is an absurdity and an aberration that the GABF is currently paying fees to the National Sports Commission (NSC) for Guyana National Basketball squads to train at a state facility. It is akin to His Excellency President Donald Ramotar paying to occupy the State House,” Hinds said.
At the commissioning of the new basketball court at the West Coast Berbice village of Ithaca, President Ramotar was asked by Chronicle Sport, “Why does the national basketball team have to pay to use the venue to train while preparing to represent this country?”
The President seemed amused. He really couldn’t understand the logic behind having our national team pay to train while preparing to represent Guyana.
“Really? This is the first time I’m hearing about this but that doesn’t sound right to me. If you’re going to represent our country, you shouldn’t have to pay to train at the venue,” President Ramotar said.
“I will look into it,” he told Chronicle Sport, adding “because if a basketball team going to represent Guyana has to pay to use the venue to train then that’s not right and doesn’t make any sense.”
Presidential Adviser Odinga Lumumba was present while President Ramotar was responding to the question asked and even joined in, saying, “This is the first time I’m even hearing about that. That’s not right if that’s the case; because they are going to represent Guyana they should get to use the venue for free, but we’ll look into it, don’t worry.”
Chronicle Sport even told the President and Lumumba that they have seen the receipt given by the NSC to the GABF for payment and the two again said, “We’ll look into it; it doesn’t make sense.”
Only last week, through the Office of the President, the GABF received $2M from the Government of Guyana to aid in their preparation for the event which will involve several of the region’s best players.
The GABF president, who also represented Guyana in the disciplines of basketball, hockey and table tennis, opined that his federation “feels it is vitally important now more than ever that we place principle first, especially principles that are consistent with Guyana’s National Interest.”
For the first time since the 2006 tournament that was held in Puerto Rico, Guyana will blend the best of its overseas-based players with local talents to produce what Hinds is hoping to be one of the top contenders for the Caribbean’s version of the NBA Play-Offs.
Written By Rawle Toney