DIRECTOR of Sport within the National Sports Commission (NSC) Neil Kumar yesterday expressed his confidence to Chronicle Sport in an exclusive interview, as it relates to Guyana’s hosting of the first leg of this year’s Inter-Guiana Games (IGG) set to get under way tomorrow with an opening ceremony at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

However, while Suriname will be coming to do battle with their Guyanese counterparts in four disciplines, namely cycling, chess, football and table tennis, Kumar expressed his disappointment at the non-participation of French Guiana once again.
Added to that, he also expressed his disgust at Guyana’s inability to field an athletics team to compete against their Surinamese counterparts as well.
“All systems are in place for the IGG and I wish at this time to shower praise on the staff of the NSC, who under difficult circumstances have done an extremely good job in ensuring the successful hosting of this leg under difficult circumstances, because the response from some of the national associations was very slow and not encouraging,” said Kumar.
He added, “Cycling was very much on stream, even after they replaced athletics at a very short notice and I must give kudos to the Guyana Cycling Federation president Cheryl Thompson and former president Hector Edwards in this regard, not forgetting national cycling coach Hassan Mohamed.
“Chess has always been up there as well as table tennis which I think is fully prepared and what I can say is while we are struggling to put together the male football team, I held an extremely good meeting with president of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Christopher Mathias who came along with Lawrence ‘Sparrow’ Griffith.”
“The meeting with these two fine gentlemen of the GFF ensured there will be a better relationship and collaboration for future IGG, while the development of football is very good, especially with Digicel running off their nationwide schools tournament, which, to my mind can serve as the incubator for the GFF’s Development Programme.”
According to Kumar, the Police Sports Club ground, which hosted several preliminary round matches as well as the final in the just-concluded Digicel Schools nationwide tournament, will host the football encounter.
Chess would be held at the Ocean View Hotel, the same venue which would accommodate the visitors who are expected to arrive under Police escort sometime this morning, while the CASH will host the table tennis events.
“The cycling time trials will be held Friday morning (tomorrow) around the inner circuit of the National Park, while later in the day, the cyclists will do battle on the West Demerara roadways and I wish to offer sincerest thanks to the Commissioner of Police and Traffic Chief respectively, for their tangible support given in this regard, along with the escort of the Surinamese,” stated Kumar.
Quizzed on why the Games is being held as a one-day affair, Kumar said it was an agreement, decided upon by officials of both Suriname and Guyana, following the non-participation of French Guiana, while he added that for future games, invitations will be extended to Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.
However, he was quick to point out that the Surinamese delegation would not be whisked out of Guyana the following day, since sightseeing tours and other interactive measures will be put in place for the visitors on Saturday with their Guyanese counterparts. They will leave on Sunday.
He believes that after Prime Minister Samuel Hinds declares the game open tomorrow morning at 09:00hrs, the Guyanese will go hard at the Surinamese in both cycling and table tennis, two disciplines he is confident they will win.
“Both Godfrey Munroe and Linden Johnson have been leaving no stones unturned in ensuring the table tennis team is well prepared, while I mentioned earlier, the efforts put in by the GCF as it relates to the cyclists despite the short notice, so I am highly confident of victory there.
“However, in chess we will have a rough time because the Surinamese are very good at chess but I think the Guyanese will hold their own, while I cannot say right now where we are at football, even though I had a successful meeting with the GFF which means we will be better prepared for future IGG engagements as it relates to football, thanks to the Digicel Championships,” stated Kumar.
An impressive opening ceremony is scheduled with Prime Minister Hinds, Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony and his Surinamese counterpart, Kumar and his Surinamese counterpart and other officials from within the NSC of both Guyana and Suriname expected to be present.