Nascimento calls for national support and funding for the GRFU

AFTER COMING from being down 24-8 against USA-South, Guyana, like true Jaguars, clawed their way back to secure an emphatic 30-27 victory in extra time which saw them win their first North American and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) 15s title. 

Guyana is popularly known around the world as one of the best Sevens Rugby nation in NACRA with a track record that’s unmatched by any, but claiming the 15s title is said to be the Guyana Rugby Football Union’s (GRFU) biggest accomplishment to date.
At a reception hosted by former president of GRFU, Christopher ‘Kitt’ Nascimento, at Duke Lodge last Wednesday evening, it was noted that the time had come for both the private and public sectors and even the Government of Guyana to put the sport at the forefront of their plans to help in its development.
“Great national teams in any sport don’t happen overnight. They are built from the ground up. They result from planning, hard work, commitment from the sports administrators, the players, the officials and the GRFU and their teams, over the past eight years, have delivered, by far, the most successful performance in any sport in the country. Yet they continue to struggle for national recognition and national funding,” Nascimento said.
“What more does rugby have to do to earn and deserve full, unqualified national support and funding?” asked Nascimento, adding “Guyana’s rugby achievements have put Guyana on the international sporting map, competing at a world class level that no other sport has achieved. But, competing at world class levels has world class costs attached to it”
It was noted that the GRFU in 2013, without government support, founded itself virtually bankrupt and was unable to meet the cost of participating in the NACRA 7s Championships, a tournament it would probably have won, and was disqualified from participation.
“As we speak, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago rugby 7s teams regularly beaten by Guyana, are representing the Caribbean at the Commonwealth Games. Surely now our government and corporate Guyana will reward the players for the hard work, dedication and talent they have committed and give them the support they have earned,” said Nascimento.
Meanwhile Peter Green, who now heads the GRFU, recognised Nascimento’s work done while being at the helm of the sport, and echoed the sentiments the aged sport enthusiast expressed in his speech.
Green said that presently, Guyana’s rugby only lack funding and credited the players for their continued dedication and playing under constraints sometimes not conducive or accepted.
Former president of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and owner of German’s Restaurant Clinton Urling, who Nascimento said has help in coordinating the reception, spoke profoundly of the team’s track record and also insisted that they should be supported.
Urling stated his ignorance of the game but said the team has been able to not only compete at the highest level, but is one of Guyana’s most successful sport teams
“There must be something that they are doing, even without proper funding and the time has come for these young men to be recognised and to receive the fullest support from the corporate sector,” stated Urling.

(By Rawle Toney)