FEDERATION International Hockey (FIH) president Leandro Negre of Spain stated categorically that for Guyana’s hockey to develop there must be an Astro Turf surface.Negre, who along with the Pan American Hockey Federation president Alberto `Coco’ Budeisky, left Guyana yesterday after a two-day visit to the land of many waters stated that for Guyana’s hockey to develop, the country must get an artificial pitch.
This statement was made when Nigre and Budeisky addressed members of the media on Tuesday at the Georgetown Cricket Club pavilion after meeting with Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Alfred King, and Guyana Olympic Association president K. Juman-Yassin, the GOA’s general secretary Hector Edwards and its vice-president Deion Nurse.
According to Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) president Philip Fernandes, the meeting with King was cordial, and matters discussed surrounded the GHB acquiring a piece of land to develop it into an artificial pitch.
Negre, Fernandes said, stated categorically that the FIH does not normally give full funding for such things but they (FIH) “are pretty sure they can source funding for the entire project”.
According to Fernandes, King said he is not in a position at the moment to give a definitive word on the piece of land, since his ministry is in a transition process and a Sports minister is still to be identified and appointed.
Fernandes said he also had talks with the GOA and the discussion was the same as with King and the Sports ministry.
He said also, at the meeting that the International hockey officials had with King, the latter raised the question of having local officials trained as certified referees/coaches.
However, Fernandes reminded that the GHB has been benefiting tremendously from Olympic Solidarity programmes over the years and noted that this has been made possible by the GOA.
Addressing members of the media on Tuesday, Negre said without an appropriate pitch, it’s hard to develop the sport …so “we need the pitch to have top class hockey players and teams to play here”.
Asked by a member of another media house if it is because of Guyana’s recent performance regionally and internationally that the two top ranking officials visited Guyana, Budeisky was quick to point out that the main reason for the visit is to press the authorities to give the GFHB a piece of land so that they (GHB) can get on with their business of having an artificial pitch and thereby developing the sport locally. “We hope that in another few weeks we’ll have word from the local authorities about the land,”. Budeisky stated.
Negre said in the past the FIH was paying much attention to the more developed countries but since his ascension to office, much emphasis has been placed and will continue to be placed on the less developed countries.