Squash Association thrilled at ‘significant investment’ in sport by government

THE Guyana Squash Association (GSA) expressed immense satisfaction with the “investment in culture youth and sport” by the Government of Guyana when the $781.9 billion National Budget was presented on Monday last.

$4.3 billion was awarded to the development of Sport.

In a release to the media on Saturday, the Squash Association stated, “Investment in this area is an investment for the future of the entire country, our youth represent every corner of our communities and will lead the way for a One Guyana.”

The GSA outlined that they are a recipient of funding and investment from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for the establishment of a squash academy, support for the annual Junior Caribbean Area Squash Championships and the recent breaking of ground for the new state-of-the-art squash facility at the National Racket Centre.

“With the significantly increased revenue injected into the country’s annual budget for 2023, the GSA is thrilled to see a record $ 4.3 billion allocated to sport. Never before has Culture, Youth, and Sport been the recipient of such a generous amount and we are excited about what this investment from the Government of Guyana will mean for the future across all sporting disciplines in Guyana.”

According to the GSA, the investments made in both athletes and facilities will work towards sustainable development in our discipline; building on the foundations in place, accelerating growth, and affording us the opportunity to get in line with other countries in the region.

The association affirmed that the addition of two doubles court at the NRC would place Guyana in a position ahead of many South American countries, being one of few to boast doubles facilities and make us eligible to host the Pan American Championships.

“This will extend our previous tournament hosting capabilities beyond the Caribbean area to include many more countries for both junior and senior championships; essentially setting us up to become a hub for squash for the broader region. It will allow us to present our unity through sport on the world scene.”

The “valuable investment of time” from the National Sports Commission which has seen Director of Sport Mr. [Steve] Ninvalle and team making themselves available and accessible and undertaking continuous engagement with the associations was highlighted.

“Being able to identify areas of strength, development and gaps collaboratively have allowed for strategic planning that will propel sport to levels not previously possible in Guyana.”

Vice President of the GSA, David Fernandes expressed his feelings about how impactful these developments will be for the sport and the country.

“We feel that Culture, Youth and Sport are important avenues to foster social cohesion and present the best forums to bring people together from every walk of life; as ‘One Guyana’. We appreciate the efforts of Minister Ramson Jr. and are extremely grateful for the financial and time investments that will positively impact the youths of Guyana. We hope that those same youths will respect the facilities and human resource and that they take the opportunity given to them by the government to push themselves to become great athletes, teammates, Guyanese ambassadors, and leaders of our country.”

GSA is eying when short-term plans can be executed for their athletes and members that will feed into the longer-term goals and objectives of offering the community benefits of sport for recreation and health, along with getting our athletes into elite status and positions to perform on the international stage.

“We look forward to the continuing support and collaboration with the National Sports Commission and Government of Guyana to ensure our members are given the resources and opportunities to reach their potential and represent their country.”