CBC owes debt of gratitude to McPherson – CBC VP Clarke

VICE-PRESIDENT, Technical Operations, of the Caribbean Basketball Confederation, Barbadian Glyne Clarke, feels that with the passing of Colonel (Ret.) Godwin McPherson, who was president of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation, “Guyana has lost one of the best ‘guards’ of basketball in the region.” Vice-president Clarke, who knew McPherson for a number of years, extended his deepest condolences to the GABF and the basketball fraternity in Guyana. He said McPherson “was fearless in his defence of basketball both in Guyana and in the Caribbean when he represented the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) in various forums.”

Speaking of his association with the late GABF boss, Clarke noted “the Colonel and I enjoyed a healthy and harmonious relationship regardless of our opinions. We sometimes fought at the Board table but afterwards the Colonel would always invite you for a drink. That was the nature of the man”.

Looking back Clarke related,   ”I first met the Colonel when I attended a meeting of the CARICOM Basketball Federation which it was at the time. It was held at one of the Army facilities within pristine grounds.

What stands out is in the earlier years the Colonel was passionate in his love for basketball and where he wanted to take it in Guyana. He used all his energies to create opportunities for his country to play and to have other foreign talent visit Guyana to maintain basketball in the region even when the Caribbean Basketball Confederation was unable to host the Championships.

On many occasions, when other countries failed to host, the Colonel will step up to ensure that the championship was held. I think the Colonel felt that he was entrusted by some greater being to ensure basketball was maintained in Guyana and he was like a parent, who refused to let go of a child who was nurtured and raised to adulthood and still thought of it as a child, who could not be cared for like he would care for it by anyone else.

“I am not sure of the legacy in Guyana, but the CBC owes a debt of gratitude to Col. Godwin McPherson, even now it sounds strange calling him by his name for he has always responded to me by only ‘Colonel’.

I remember on a visit to Guyana to conduct a clinic and was going to stay in a hotel, the Colonel asked me: ‘do you know anyone at the hotel?’ and readily gave me his master bedroom,

I refused and said I can use another room, in true military style, the Colonel responded “Already done”. Take your luggage up. I certainly did not miss staying at the hotel. He got up every morning and made me breakfast and made me promise not to tell anyone that he did so. I have lost a good friend, May he rest in peace.”

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