By Stephan Sookram

THE vetting of candidates for the National Sport’s Commission (NSC) awards began earlier this week with just over four weeks to the ceremony.Director of Sport Christopher Jones confirmed to Chronicle Sport that the vetting process of the submitted nominations began between Tuesday and Wednesday of this week ahead of the May 4 ceremony billed for the National Cultural Centre (NCC).
“All the associations have made their submissions to the NSC with respect to the various categories and I can confirm that those persons who have to vet them are doing so as we speak,” Jones explained.
He noted that for now, the selected panel, which comprises seven persons, who are unaware of who the other is, will be responsible for looking at the winners of the various categories and will be oblivious of the other person’s findings.
Jones continued, “The panellists are unaware of each other, they do not know each other. So there are actually seven independent persons vetting nominees and then they will submit their findings to an independent source.
“That independent source will on May 4 bring the envelopes with the results to the Cultural Centre and only when that category is named, will the envelope be opened and that winner will be named,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, those nominated will receive an invitation to the ceremony but will be unaware of the category in which they have been nominated.
Jones had earlier said that this new format is in keeping with the promised ‘Grammy-style’ festivities that he envisioned for the ceremony.
He said that for too long, the ceremony has been under-attended. This new move seeks to celebrate Guyanese sportsmen, women and officials.
Guyana and West Indies spin bowler Veerasammy Permaul is the reigning Sportsman-of-the-Year, while track athlete Cassie George won awards for Sportswoman-of-the-Year as well as Junior Sportswoman-of-the-Year.
Circuit racer Kristian Jeffrey was runner-up among the men, while squash player Akeila Wiltshire was the women’s runner-up.
The runner-up Junior Sportsman award went to Shimron Hetmyer, while track athlete Jason Yaw collected the Junior Sportsman-of-the-Year award.
Multitalented athlete Alisha Fortune won the runner-up Sportswoman-of-the-Year award.
The Guyana Rugby Football Union won the awards for Most Improved Association, Sports Association-of-the-Year and the Sports Team-of-the-Year. GRFU president Peter Green won the Male Sports Personality award and National Rugby coach Theodore Henry won the Sports Coach award.