HAVING performed exceedingly well to place their team Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) Cricket Club on the top podium spot in the Georgetown Cricket Association/BrainStreet Under-15 tournament, Joshua Persaud, Kurt Lovell and Christopher Campbell gained a place on the Georgetown team for the Demerara Cricket Board Inter-Association tournament.

They later went on to represent Demerara in the Guyana Cricket Board Under-15 Inter-county tournament, thus earning a place on the Guyana team which leaves for Jamaica sometime today, to compete in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Under-15 tournament.
Last Wednesday afternoon at the Woolford Avenue-based GNIC Sports Club, the trio were guests of honour at a reception organised by WICB Senior Chairman of Selectors Clyde Butts, in which Chief Executive Officer of GNIC Clinton Williams, former GCA president Bishwa Panday and GCB president Drubahadur offered congratulatory remarks.
“As part of its corporate responsibility, GNIC has made a substantial contribution to sports and culture in Guyana, in the form of the development of national cricketers, footballers, basketball players etc, through the operation of a sports club as both training and leisure facility, not only for our workers and their families, but also for the public at large.
“Today, we are seeing three of our young cricketers, Joshua Persaud, Kurt Lovell and Christopher Campbell, being honoured as products of our contribution to the development of sports and even as we wish to recognise the trio, we need to also recognise the following persons who contributed to their success – Clyde Butts, Rayon Griffith and Clive Grimmond,” said Williams.
Williams offered congratulations to the trio on their selection, while urging them to put their best foot forward, be good ambassadors for their families, friends, club and country, but most importantly ensuring Guyana achieves overall success.
In his moving remarks, Panday, who also served as Honorary Secretary on the GCB under its astute leadership of Chetram Singh, told the trio that success for Guyana at the Under-15 tournament would be a boost for the sport locally.
“Playing for one’s country is not easy, but at the same time it is an honour and the fact that you are being selected says that you are the best of the lot as seen by the selectors, but don’t let it get to you. You are still young and need to work harder at your game, with the aim of making the Under-17, U-19 and senior teams for your country in the future,” said Panday.
He added, “The fact that you are playing for GNIC means you have potential and you are now going to play for Guyana, but it does not end there. Aim high, work hard and be disciplined for discipline can help you go a far way in life.
“Once you work hard and remain disciplined, you will do well and it would be a wonderful sight to see this Under-15 team bring home the title to Guyana at a time like this when there is much going on with our cricket, so be the trendsetters. Go out there, give of your best, play as a team and be victorious.”
Drubahadur offered his congratulations to the trio and reminded them that the game of cricket is no longer seen as a sport, but a job, while urging them to gel well with their colleagues, play as a team and be victorious, reminding them that the GCB is behind them all the way.”
Like the three speakers before him, Butts congratulated the trio for their performances over the years which led to their selection on the national team this year, even as he gave accolades to Grimmond for the hard work he has put in.
“We had five players representing Demerara Under-15 team from which we got three in the national team. I want to personally thank coach Grimmond for the work he has done and also thank the parents who came out and offered their support to the team when they were playing,” said Butts.
On behalf of his colleagues, Persaud, who also led the team in the GCA/BrainStreet Under-15 tournament, moved the vote of thanks and thanked Demerara Cricket Club head coach Garvin Nedd for his unwavering support as Georgetown and Demerara coach, following which the trio were presented with bats, gloves and wicketkeeping apparel accordingly.