WITH the draft National Sports Policy currently in circulation and under revision, the government has catered for athletes who represent Guyana at regional and international events to be rewarded for excellent performances.

In the long overdue draft policy, there is a section dedicated to incentives with a package outlined for individual athletes or teams who bring home gold, silver or bronze at regional, sub-regional and international championships.
The ‘package’ is inclusive of added acknowledgments in the form of promotional tours, formal receptions and media engagements.

However, the financial aspect is proposed as a pre-determined amount of money compared to regional standards and a tangible reward in the form of a piece of land or a built house through a state-supported scheme.

The latter was recently done in the mining town of Linden, where leading young athletes Chantoba Bright and Daniel Williams were given a plot of land each, in recognition of their sterling achievements thus far, however this was not a government-led initiative.

Following national and public consultation over the draft policy, the package can be amended and improved to tailor the varying degrees of athletes’ success.
While the draft National Sports Policy is under revision, the incentives for the athletes won’t be available until it is completed and passed in the National Assembly.

The fact that there is even a draft National Sports Policy in circulation and under revision is ground breaking, as it could change the way sport is viewed and regarded in Guyana. Several administrators in the past have come and gone with many a talk of changing the face of sport in Guyana.

However, the current personnel at the helm of sport in Guyana, have been on the ball and while there are still shortcomings, it is a welcome improvement from the past, as we are reminded of this quote by famed Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu; “the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”.