Hats off to Guyana's CWC volunteers
By Sean Devers
Kaieteur News
April 10, 2007
For most of the 310 volunteers who worked during the six Super Eight Cricket World Cup matches in Guyana from March 28 to the emotional conclusion yesterday it was an unforgettable experience.
While the eyes of the world were mainly focused on the players in the middle and the cheering fans in the stands, the bulk of the Volunteers, who came from all walks of life, went about their duties almost unnoticed by those outside the beautiful Guyana National Stadium at Providence.
Most do not know that these hard working and committed patriots, many of whom had to request leave from their jobs to be of service to their nation, were picked up at 04:00hrs on match day mornings to begin their duties at 05:00hrs when the gates at the Stadium were opened.
”We had to wake up at 03:00hrs to get ready for work and most of us are now almost exhausted from all that we had to do. But I can tell you it was a once in a life time experience. Helping to make Guyana a proud host and being involved in a world event was simply fantastic and we would do it all over again,” a beaming Lynette Baird-Fiedtkou, Supervisor/Accesser of the Volunteers, told Kaieteur Sports yesterday afternoon.
The Volunteers worked in several areas at the Stadium and included doctors, UG students and members of the Private and Public sector. Gender, race and age was well represented and the level of dedication and commitment to their various tasks as absolutely magnificent.
According to Baird-Fiedtkou, who was given plenty of time-off from the Guyana AIDS Secretariat where she is employed, the Volunteers came from Linden, Essequibo, Berbice, Bartica, the city and its environs. “While 310 of us worked at the Stadium, we had a batch of 350. Forty were on stand by if people dropped out. A Few were forced to drop out due to time off problems,” Baird-Fiedtkou explained.
Since being notified of their appointment in May last year the volunteers began their training and worked during the West Indies/Zimbabwe match at Bourda in May 2006, GuyExpo, the opening of the Rio Summit, the 20/20 cricket match at the Stadium earlier this year and the official opening of the Stadium among other national events a they prepared for the ‘big' event.
There was also a training of trainers programme last year and an intensive two-day training session at Queens College in January. For all the negative press Guyana got leading up to and during the event (some justified, most of it not) the work of the Volunteers was hailed by all who were fortunate to receive their assistance as ‘simply awesome'
Several of the foreign journalists here commended the volunteers for their willingness to render assistance, their courteous attitude and their ever smiling faces, especially when dealing with complaints. Few can imagine the magnitude of work that takes place away from the public's eye to make an event successful or the time and energy spent on ‘getting it right'.
This World Cup has been mentally and physically tiring for all those involved, the LOCs, the players, the media workers, yet the volunteers turned up for duty before everyone else, day in, day out, even on days between matches. Sports Minster Dr Frank Anthony said the volunteers have played a critical role in Guyana's leg of the mega event and was high in praise for their commitment and level of professionalism.
Yesterday when they marched around the field during the lunch break, waving goodbye to Guyana's phase of the tournament, the tears that flowed from many of their eyes was tears of pride and sadness that all good things must come to an end.
The memories they will take from this glorious event should last for a life time and their magnificent contribution to Guyana's effort has surly not gone unnoticed.
Hats off to the volunteers, it was a job well done!