FORTY-three-year-old optician Lionel Jaikarran was easily the voters’ choice last Monday night when the world renowned Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and elections at the club’s pavilion.

The newly appointed executives of the Georgetown Cricket Club: back row from left are Committee Members Deodatt Singh and Glen Hanoman. Sitting from left: Jameel Baksh (Honorary Secretary), Lionel Jaikarran (President), Ramesh Seevarran (Treasurer) and Philip Fernandes (Club Captain). Missing are vice-president Ramsey Alli and Committee Member Eon Caesar.

Jaikarran carted off 48 of the votes against his opponent and former vice-president Harold ‘Doc’ Dhanraj, who managed only 30, making their vote the only one that was close in the election of the club’s executives.

Jaikarran, who replaced Paul Chan-a-Sue as the president after the latter did not seek re-election, will have some new faces on his executive panel, with Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Marketing Officer Ramsey Alli replacing Dhanraj as the vice-president.

Ramesh Seevarran has replaced Harry Parmesar as treasurer while Jameel Baksh is the new Honorary Secretary, replacing Afzal Khan in that position.

There are three new Committee Members in Deodatt Singh, Glen Hanoman and Eon Caesar while former national hockey captain Philip Fernandes was deemed fit enough to retain his position as Club Captain by the electorate.

Already, the elected executives have set their sights on improving the standard at the oldest club in the country, by renovating the bar facilities and executive lounge, along with the introduction of a fully computerised system which will see members swipe their membership card.

Introduction of a Point of Sales (POS) system at the bar, along with the erection of an indoor facility for both cricket and hockey – two dominant sports being played by the club – is also on the agenda of the executives.

The creation of a ‘hot spot’ internet access for all laptop users free of charge along with telephone calls to the United States of America and other countries for all financial members of the club as a complimentary club facility is also on the agenda for the new executive.

In his brief remarks, Jaikarran thanked the outgoing executives including Dhanraj for their yeoman services to the club over the past year and at the same time, called on the opposite sex to play a more integral role in the rebuilding of the club.