CMC – President of Guyana, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has announced several initiatives aimed at increasing the participation of indigenous athletes in the country’s main sports such as cricket, football and volleyball.
While attending the 2025 Heritage Games on Saturday, the President acknowledged that even though indigenous athletes were highly skilled in some sports, they did not have equal opportunities to represent the country on a national stage.
More than 800 indigenous athletes from the 10 administrative regions are participating at the Heritage Games.
President Ali said he had already spoken with the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), the Guyana Football Federation and the Guyana Volleyball Federation, to ensure indigenous teams are included in their structures.
He revealed that retired West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan has been appointed as the mentor and coach for indigenous talent in cricket, while former West Indies cricketer and coach Roger Harper will lead the development of women’s cricket, with special focus on indigenous communities.
“He (Sarwan) will be responsible for working with our indigenous boards and groups to select the first indigenous cricket team that will come into the national cricketing infrastructure and be part of those trials,” President Ali said.
In addition to donating equipment for football, volleyball, and cricket, President Ali said by the end of the year, indigenous teams will also compete in national tournaments, stressing that this is part of the ‘One Guyana’ vision, where there are equal opportunities for every citizen.