Roger Harper now vice-president
A UNANIMOUS voting session saw the re-election of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) president Bissoondyal Singh for another two years and the inclusion of former West Indies player and coach Roger Harper as his deputy. The DCB election of office-bearers at the Lusignan Community Centre was a smooth and unchallenging event and with the no-show of members of two sub-associations (except for one West Demerara club) a number of new faces came to the fore.
Voting was done by delegates from the Georgetown Cricket Association  and the East Coast Demerara Cricket Association.
Harper replaced Anand Sanasie, while Daveteerth Anandjit took over from Rajendra Singh as the secretary in the key power shifts.
Former treasurer Pretipaul Jaigobin was elected as second vice-president while his position was given to Edward Richmond; Richmond’s deputy is Nigel Bissoo.
Samaroo Jailall retained his post as assistant secretary, while Neil Barry was voted in as public relations officer.
The other executive members are: Shaun Massiah (chairman of the competitions committee), Manoj Narine (marketing manager) and Claude Raphael and Ronald Williams (trustees of the board) while Nizam Ally and Sons will be used as the auditing firm.
Prior to the elections last evening, another group, which has had an ongoing battle with the side, held their own AGM at the Wales Community Development Centre. That meeting was largely attended by representatives of the East Bank Demerara Cricket Association and the West Demerara Cricket Association.
Bissoondyal, however, pointed out that the one held at Lusignan was legitimate.

DIFFERENT DCB
In his acceptance speech Bissoondyal said that the DCB will run “differently” and that he was happy with his new executives and felt that the sport could better move forward.
“Let’s put ourselves together and fix this cricket,” he challenged his new decision-makers.
He added that cricket development and the advancement of the sport are high on the agenda. What he also pointed out was the need to co-op members from the sub-associations who did not attend.
He said that with Harper having responsibilities for cricket development in the DCB, the sport is in “good hands”.
Singh also gave assurance to a promise he made prior to the elections of setting up a Constitution Reform Committee which will communicate its findings in a few months.
Constitution reform was high on the agenda of the members who beckoned for an improved document which could keep executive members in check and serve cricket foremost.
Harper also spoke of reform; he challenged the heads to revisit the constitution.
One necessary change according to the former outstanding cricketer was the issuance of the no-confidence vote.
He pointed out that there needs to be more than just a majority vote to displace leadership. He said that persons instead should prove first that the said official is not functioning to the best of his ability.
Attorney-at-Law  Charles Ramson Jr. was the returning officer.