WITH the aim of having their senior players become well rounded Ambassadors for their county, the Berbice Cricket Board on Saturday last hosted a one-day social development seminar for their senior cricketers. The seminar was held at the Caribbean Cuisine Restaurant located at No.2 Village, East Canje, Berbice and was sponsored by Vickram Seubarran of the Universal DVD Club and Universal Solutions, an ardent cricket supporter of the game in Berbice.
A total of 30 male and female cricketers including Brendon Bess, Richard Ramdeen, Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings, Tremayne Smartt, Rajiv Ivan, Keon Joseph, Shawn Pereira, Joemal La Fleur, Eon Hooper and Jason Sinclair attended the seminar.
In declaring the seminar open, second vice-president of the BCB and senior cricket manager Mark Lyte said the Board was quite concerned about the social skills of some cricketers and their ability to properly represent Berbice on and off the cricket field.
The Social Development Seminar was organised, Lyte disclosed, as the BCB strives to produce all-rounded individuals who would fully understand their roles as sports ambassadors and role models for Berbice and at large Guyana and West Indies cricket.
The seminar was conducted by Maureen Paul, Tourism Consultant and Managing Director of Hospitality Services Management, who explained that the main aim of the seminar was to develop an all-rounded personality so that the players would know the correct behaviour on and off the cricket field.
Among the topics discussed were Dining skills techniques, Art of communication, Introduction to officials, Respect for each other and authority, How to conduct yourself at cocktail receptions, Dress code, Personal hygiene and other social customs.
Special emphasis was placed on the conduct of players during a formal luncheon and all the participants took part in a three-course luncheon. Paul encouraged her audience to develop themselves personally and to be role models to their peers.
She pleaded with the cricketers to take their newly acquired social skills and assist others so that every cricketer in Berbice would be fully prepared when selected to play for the ancient county.
The cricketers at the conclusion of the seminar expressed gratitude to the BCB and Universal DVD for investing so heavily into their career and pledged to put into practice what they have learnt.
Chairman of the BCB’s Special Events Committee, Hilbert Foster, in an invited comment, stated that the seminar was the 85th activity for the Board for the year, saying the target of 70 activities has already been surpassed, while there are more off-the-field activities that need to be completed.
Foster explained that with the rainy season in full effect and affecting cricket on the cricket field, the BCB was placing special emphasis on personal development and will soon host a social development seminar for junior cricketers, which would be held in July during the 5th Annual Scotiabank Academy.