FINALLY! – Hockey to have its own home locally
Minister of State Joseph Harmon and president of GHB, Philip Fernandes, exchange MoU while Director of Sport Christopher Jones looks on. (Rabindra Rooplall photo)
Minister of State Joseph Harmon and president of GHB, Philip Fernandes, exchange MoU while Director of Sport Christopher Jones looks on. (Rabindra Rooplall photo)

AFTER almost two decades, the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) will finally have a place to call home with the construction of an artificial surface at D’Urban Park.
The GHB, through its president, Philip Fernandes, yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, at the Ministry of the Presidency.

Fernandes said, “It has been 18 years, trying with the various authorities to get some land, this will be a good opportunity for the young people to play hockey and to have a space for them to learn the game and practise more.”
Expressing his appreciation to the government for making it a priority, Fernandes said the board sees the opportunity as one to move Guyana forward as the country has been very competitive in sports externally.

“I can remember in one year, we won gold medals in the junior Pan-American championships and in the same year we competed against the same teams and came second to last, because the first one was on grass and the next one was on artificial surface; so that explains the difference between the two,” Fernandes said.
Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica all have artificial surfaces.

He continued, “This opportunity here now, which we hope to develop into a full international standard artificial surface facility would enable our young people not only to train under the kind of conditions to compete, but also to invite foreign teams for the first time in over 30 years to Guyana, to compete in outdoor hockey.”

The GHB president said that while hockey has people of all walks of life it is difficult for certain communities to get access to the game, but now the base will be broadened with youths in the City.

Funding, he said, will be sought to build the facility with the international bodies (Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF) among those already in the wings.
Minister Harmon said many years ago Linden had a very active hockey team that was organised by the Bauxite Company, adding that based on limitations, Guyana had done exceptionally well in tournaments and further afield.

“I believe that this is an important day in the history of the federation and in many years to come we may look back at today; and when we look back at the facilities on D’Urban Park, I would like to say that it was a job well done,” Harmon said.

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