The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Archery Guyana Inc. was successfully held at the National Resource Centre, Woolford Avenue, recently, where members were given an opportunity to discuss the activities and plans for the way forward to promote the Olympic sport of Archery in Guyana.
At the AGM, Mrs Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon delivered a comprehensive Report to the membership, giving a brief background from its establishment in August 2014 to the end of the reporting period of 30th August, 2018.
She reported on the status of the new website, membership, the World Archery Level 1 Coach Training Course which was deemed a historic success with participation from Regions 1, 4, 7, 8 and 9 respectively.
Nineteen (19) participants duly completed and were awarded Certificates and have since returned to their various Regions to commence Coaching so as to start the next phase to move Archery to a National Sport in Guyana.
Persaud-McKinnon also reflected on May of this year at the Official Opening Ceremony when Director of Sport, Christopher Jones announced that discussions were being held surrounding the inclusion of Archery in the annual National School Championship and as such, coordinating and collaborating with Archery Guyana to ensure this programme happens is part of the National Sports Commission’s works programme.
It was further reported that Archery Guyana has since submitted a list of schools where various certified coaches have been working with and their contact details to the NSC.
International events such as the recent World Archery Americas’ General Assembly 2018 at which Guyana was for the first time represented at in Medellin, Colombia on August 18, 2018 were also reported.
Persaud-McKinnon went on to report that Mr Nicholas Hing recently returned from an Archery Training Camp and Coaching Seminar funded by Pan Am Sports, and coordinated by World Archery Americas in collaboration with the Colombian Olympic Committee in Medellin, Colombia.
The Camp and Seminar, which followed on the heels of the World Archery Americas General Assembly and the conclusion of the Pan American and Parapan Championships, was conducted by top level experts in various fields of the sport, and attended by a total of 32 archers and 39 coaches from 22 countries. This training camp and seminar was a boost for Archery Guyana’s development programme.
Indoor and outdoor practice sessions were also reported on as continuing with the kind permission of the NSC and the Ministry at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue and at the Carifesta Sports Complex Ground, Carifesta Avenue.
Moreover, collaboration continues also with World Archery Americas where local activities continue to be published in the monthly bulletins which are shared internationally. This year Archery Guyana also received donations from Easton and Hoyt of some equipment to assist with its development work through the representations of World Archery.
Archery Guyana for the past 3 years proudly hosted the national archery competition for the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs’ Heritage Games during Heritage Month in September.
It is also envisaged that Archery Guyana will soon start a Para-Archery Programme. This is an area Archery Guyana will explore to ensure that all persons with disabilities are also given an opportunity to participate in an Olympic sport.
The Elections for the new Board of Directors then commenced under the duly elected Returning Officer, Attorney-at-Law and Honorary Counsel to Japan, Kashir Khan, who officially released the following information after the democratic and transparent electoral process in the presence of an independent observer from the National Sports Commission, Seon Erskine.
Members had to cast a secret vote for the position of Treasurer with two strong contenders in a close vote:Robert Singh and Nicholas Hing.
Members of the Board of Executives elected to serve for the period 2018-2022 are, President Mohamed Khan, Secretary-General Mrs Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon, Treasurer Nicholas Hing.
The Financial Report was presented to the membership and duly approved. Two Motions were unanimously passed to retain external auditor, Harryram Parmesar from the Parmesar Audit Firm and to adopt the Amended Constitution.
