… defaulting teams and captains to be penalised
HAVING created a partnership with the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) to sponsor a second division tournament in the Ancient County five years ago, the New Building Society (NBS) has widened its relationship with the local cricketing fraternity, after forging an allegiance with the Roger Harper-led Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) yesterday.
At a simple launching ceremony held at the bank’s recently constructed North Road and Avenue of the Republic Headquarters, a cheque for $936 800 was handed over to Secretary of the GCA, Deborah McNichol, by NBS’ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ahmad Khan.
This was done, following the announcement of the soon-to-be contested, NBS-sponsored GCA second division 40-overs-a-side competition, in which defaulting teams and captains will be penalised, as a firm grip on discipline is being taken by the organising committee.
Present at yesterday’s launching were Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony and Minister of Labour Nanda Gopaul, who chaired of the proceedings, Chairman of the West Indies selection committee Clyde Butts, Chief Executive Officer of NBS Ahmad Khan, incoming Chairman of NBS Moen McDoom, along with other directors and staff of NBS and executives of the GCA.
In his brief remarks, Dr Anthony applauded the sponsor for forging the relationship with the GCA, who he said organised the tournament at a time when cricket in Georgetown is in need of a pick-me-up.
“Allow me to congratulate the GCA for organising this competition. I think it’s timely and it’s important, as over the last year/year and half, we have had a lull in our cricket and I think it is time we start organising competitions and get back to the business of playing cricket.
At the national level, we are having some difficulties which are being sorted out, but in the meantime the game must continue and cricket as we all know has been very important to us as a people. I think when we play cricket we forget so many other things as we have this passion for the game, something that is visible whenever we play nationally and internationally.”
Dr Anthony told his audience cricket has identified us, while saying there is a need for the developmental programme of the gentleman’s game in Guyana, despite the kind of difficulties the administrators are currently having.
He further thanked NBS for their sponsorship, which would ensure the continuation of the game in Georgetown and its environs.
“It is also important, not only from the standpoint of competitions, but the development of the game that we ensure the game is being played. Very often we don’t place a lot of emphasis on that type of development, but I now know that since you have a competition to go to, many of the clubs will ensure they do the right developmental things so that they can field the best team to represent them.”
He added, “This is a very, very important competition and again I wish to congratulate both the GCA and NBS, as I know that when people from the cricketing fraternity approach many business entities, because of the challenges cricket is going through, many of the corporate entities refuse to invest in this area.
“I am extremely pleased that NBS through its management would have shown faith in the development of the game by investing in this competition and not only in a one-off competition, because very often companies do so, but in this instant, it will continue, becoming a calendar event on the GCA calendar.
“When they invest in sports, they are investing in our young people as they play sports and very often we have this attitude in saying our young people are all up to no good, getting into lots of trouble. But if we do not provide them with an outlet wherein they can go and have recreational activities, then we ourselves are failing them.”
Dr Anthony brought smiles to his audience’s faces, when he informed them of Government’s input of G$100M into this year’s budget, which will be used towards the maintenance of Community-based grounds, while clubs within the said communities can receive a grant ranging from $500 000 to $1M for such purposes.
“From the Ministry’s perceptive, whatever help we can give, we are certainly willing to do so. Something that is little known – last year one of the things we said to the people who have grounds in Georgetown is we have a tractor and trailer at the Ministry.
Persons, who have grounds and wish to cut and keep them in good shape, can come to the Ministry and we will help you to do so. This is our way in trying to stimulate more sport activities as well as maintain the grounds we have in Georgetown.
On that note, from last year the Government would have put into the budget, funds to assist with the upkeep of grounds and this year we have $100M to assist with the upkeep of community grounds across the country and the first set of applicants will be given priority, with the applicants receiving a grant between $500 000 to one million dollars” stated Dr Anthony.
In his brief remarks, McDoom applauded the GCA for their heroic efforts in administrating cricket in Georgetown, adding that the NBS Board of Directors had no hesitation in positively responding to their request, especially after seeing the reputable list of executive members of the GCA.
He urged the GCA to continue the hard work in reviving the sport of cricket which has been relegated adding “There is a need for the people to come back to the sport and we at the NBS feel that we need to get on and build back the game and what better way to start, than with the GCA.
“We have done it with the Berbice and Essequibo Cricket Boards and now we are with the GCA, which has outlined discipline as one of the keys to success and seeing that discipline is important, we urge the GCA to continue to be strict with regard to the clubs who will be competing in this tournament.”
Both Harper and his vice-president Neil Barry thanked the NBS for its support, while Barry explained that the GCA will be penalising clubs – $15 000 – when they fail to show up for a match, while captains who failed to submit match reports two weeks after the game would have been played, would be suspended for two matches.
Fourteen second division clubs were placed into two zones, from which the two top clubs will battle in the final of the tournament which is set to bowl off this Saturday, weather permitting.
GNIC, Everest, Vikings, Third Class, GCC, GYO and GDF are grouped in Zone A, while Zone B consists of TSC, UG, MYO, Police, DCC, MSC and Ace Warrior.
For Saturday’s Zone A matches, GNIC will host Third Class, Everest will take on Vikings at Camp Road and GCC will face GYO at Bourda while in Zone B, DCC will host TSC, UG will battle MSC at Thomas Lands and Police will look to arrest MYO at MYO.