The year 2024 has been a glittering one for sport in Guyana, according to Sport Minister Charles Ramson jr, who has measured the success of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) through the stellar performances of the nation’s athletes.
The MCYS hosted their end-of-year review press briefing on Saturday morning at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, where Ramson Jr gave a glowing review of the country’s thriving sports sector. According to this Minister, there has never been a more successful year in sport for Guyana.
“It’s been a huge year! I don’t think there’s ever been — there’s never been a more successful year in sport, and there’s never been a more successful period in sport in this country!” he declared.
“Sport in Guyana is on the rise, and it’s on a meteoric kind of rise! And we are moving into a place that we’ve never moved before,” Ramson Jr. confidently shared on Saturday morning.
In justifying his position, he added, “Even in the CARIFTA Games, when we are beating Jamaica in the sprints, we are beating Jamaica in the sprints! And that’s one of the reasons why, with our Elite programme, we were able to have Elite trainers come to the country.
“Last year, (we had) two different sets of programmes, and we’re working with Associations now to help expand the Elite programme,” he divulged.
Ramson Jr. backed his bold declaration by detailing that sports’ achievements in 2024 included a 296% increase in the number of medals won by Guyanese athletes over the year.
He divulged, “For international and regional tournaments last year (2023), Guyanese athletes…secured 167 medals. In 2024, it was 537 medals at international and regional tournaments. This is a 296% increase, and it shows the investment is working. It shows also the direction we’re going is the right direction. It’s showing also that the collaboration and partnership that we’ve forged both with Sports Associations and the athletes themselves directly, we’ve shown how that can bring tremendous benefit for the country. It also shows the benefit of the National Sports Academy and its success.
“Let’s look at the international and regional tournaments that Guyana participated in last year. In 2023, there was 51; last year, (there was) 102. And you know the costs to send athletes and team overseas. That’s 100% increase in the number of teams that are travelling and participating in tournaments,” he said.
Further, the minister revealed, “Now, let’s focus on the number of international events held in Guyana. In 2023, it was 15; 2024 it’s 29.”
Electing not to ‘grade’ the departments’ work in 2024, Ramson instead opted for a string of glowing words.
“Remarkable! It’s been outstanding! It’s been record-breaking! It’s been historic!” he declared in response to being asked his thoughts on the sector’s performance.
The Sport Minister added, “So, for us to come and be able to say 534, that’s the grade. My involvement in the sector is just at the leadership level: to make sure that we’re trying to move the country in the right direction for the development of the sector. We want to see our athletes on podiums. We want them flying Guyana’s flag, we want to hear Guyana’s Anthem at these international matches and tournaments, and they’ve been doing that,” he declared.
