… Colonel Enoch Gaskin elected vice-president
BRIGADIER Patrick West has returned to the helm of the Guyana National Rifle Association (GuyanaNRA) following its Annual General meeting last week.
The only change to the committee is that of Colonel Enoch Gaskin as vice-president who replaces the Richard Fields who passed away last year.
With the approval at last year’s AGM for the executive term to be four years, the next elections is billed for 2020.
The AGM took the format of reports being presented to the membership along with two motions.
Reports were presented by the Honorary Secretary Ryan Sampson who enlightened members of the milestone which the association achieved in 2017, having celebrated its 150th Anniversary.
This celebration, he said, coincided with the hosting of the West Indies Fullbore Championship with representative countries being England, Ireland, Canada, Falkland Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda, and Bermuda.
Council’s main focus in 2017 was the hosting of the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council Championship, which coincided with the association’s 150th Anniversary.
The Fullbore captain Mahendra Persaud who played a tremendous part with the organisation must be commended for the completion of all the key projects on the fullbore and smallbore ranges at the Timehri Rifle Ranges
The fullbore now has 24 targets instead of 14. The smallbore now has five bays to stage multiple stages of IPSC shoots. Thanks to the Guyana Defence Force which provided an excavator to assist with the work.
The end product is a world-class range for which the president received accolades from the international participants and the Secretary General of ICFRA, Mr Phil Harrison.
Acting Fullbore captain Dylan Fields reported that the fullbore shooters have once more made Guyana proud with their exceptional performance, retaining both team titles on home soil..
He reported that Mr Mahendra Persaud was second overall just two points behind the winner Mr Gary Alexander of Ireland.
Persaud, however, won the top West Indian Trophy.
In the 150th Shoot won by David Calvert, Mr Lennox Braithwaite was second and was the top West Indian in this shoot. Mr Roberto Tiwari was second in the ‘O’ Class category to seal the outstanding team performance.
Fullbore members Mahendra Persaud and Lennox Braithwaite also had great performances at the Commonwealth Shooting Federation in Australia last October, finishing eighth and sixth respectively.
In the smallbore shooting, vice-captain Gordon Richards reported that Mr Harold Hopkinson represented Guyana at overseas shoots in Suriname, Barbados, Aruba, USA and the World IPSC Championship in France.
His self-sponsorship must be commended and he continues to equip himself with world class equipment to elevate his performance. He had mixed fortunes but it is encouraging for him to continue shooting in 2018.
Two motions were passed: the first was the ratification by the membership for the appointment of Col Enoch Gaskin as vice-president. The second motion was for the increase in application fees and annual subscription.
In closing, on behalf of the president Brigadier Patrick West, the membership was thanked by the Chair of the proceedings, Lt Col. (Ret’d) Terrence Stuart, for attending the AGM.
