TWO weeks ago, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) underwent a major shake-up of its management team, as the organisation prepares itself for the future without its founder members. Thirteen new executives, most of them under the age of 21 years old, were elected to replace long-serving executives who voluntarily served side by side to allow the smooth transition from one generation of leaders to the next.
Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster, who was one of only six executives to be re-elected, has also indicated that he would be stepping down after this term to allow the leaders of the new generation to lead Guyana’s leading youth and sports club to more success.
Nineteen-year-old Port Mourant Secondary School teacher Nermala Sewdat was elected as Assistant Secretary to the long-serving Foster and was understandably nervous of being elected to such an office in a highly successful organisation, but expressed confidence that the new breed of young leaders would uphold the high tradition set by the founders.
She noted that the club is a household name in Guyana and success is the only word it knows and as such she intended to dedicate all her energy to make sure that the organisation continued to make positive differences in the lives of youths, the elderly and less fortunate.
As Assistant Secretary, Sewdat would be responsible for the Club’s Anti-drugs/Pro-education campaign, TV Programmes, Annual Youth Magazine, all records of the Club and reports to the numerous sponsors of the club’s teams.
She noted that the responsibilities are great but stated that with guidance and experience of the Club Secretary/Treasurer Dawn Hicks and Office Manager Moonish Singh, she would learn on the job quickly, while serving as the hostess of the Club’s monthly television programme.
Eighteen-year-old West Indies female cricketer Shemaine Campbelle was excited about being elected as one of the Club’s Assistant Organising Secretaries.
She would work along with 27-year-old Ravi Narine who is the Organising Secretary and fellow West Indies female cricketer Erva Giddings who was also elected as an Assistant Organising Secretary.
Campbelle explained that the trio would be responsible for organising all the Club’s activities, including fund-raising events, awards ceremonies and over 100 programmes/projects that the dynamic organisation hosts every year.
They would work closely with the Secretary to make sure that every programme is successful and the humble Campbelle stated that it was a privilege to serve as an executive of her club at such a young age and promised to commit herself fully to her new role and to bring passion and discipline into everything she undertakes.
Seventeen-year-old, national Under-19 cricketer Dominic Rikhi stated that he still cannot believe that his club has so much faith in his ability to be a leader of the future.
For the next two years, Rikhi would serve as Assistant Office Manager to Moonish Singh and would be responsible for all the club’s physical assets, preparation for cricket matches and the upkeep of the club’s Area “H” ground office.
He noted that he was confident that his new responsibility would assist him in his development as a cricketer, as he would now have to act with more commitment, discipline and focus.
Sixteen-year-old Berbice Under-19 player Lloydel Lewis was pleasantly surprised when he was elected as the Club’s new Public Relations Officer (PRO).
He would be supported by national Under-15 captain Shawn Pereira who is his deputy and together they will coordinate with Sewdat to make sure that the general public is kept abreast of the club’s activities.
The youthful duo replaced Singh who is now the Office Manager and expressed confidence that they would do a successful job as they had done some public relations work before, like hosting television programmes and club functions. 
They both thanked their peers in the club for the confidence placed in them and their abilities and stated that no one would be allowed to fail at the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club because of the family atmosphere that exists where all the members understand that they have to support one other for the sake of the club.
Foster, who sat in at the interviews with the new executives, stated that the club was always visionary in its planning and did not want to follow the footsteps of some organisations that failed to develop new leaders to replace ageing ones and as such placed problems after a while.
The 13 young executives, Foster stated, would bring vigour, passion and a new way of thinking that the club would propel it to greater success in the future and unlike some clubs where older heads are afraid of competition from youths, the RHTYSC fully embraces the fact that youths are the future and as such they are given every opportunity to perform and excel.
He also identified Sewdat, Lewis and Pereira as possible candidates to replace him when he steps down in 2012.