AFTER several minutes of back and forth rumblings that usually take place in any Annual General Meeting (AGM) for sports in Guyana, along with Returning Officer Colin Bynoe throwing a motion for the floor to act on following an unwanted controversy as to who should represent the Berbice River Association, Anil Beharry was elected the new president of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB).The BCB hosted its elections of office-bearers at its 7-7 Cheddi Jagan Street-based New Amsterdam office yesterday midday, following the AGM where the Reports from the President, Treasurer, Secretary, Special Events Committee and Competitions Committee were read and passed by the stakeholders of the game in the Ancient County.

However, controversy in who should represent the Berbice River Association, when the list of delegates was being called by the BCB secretary Angela Haniff, occurred since four individuals, who claimed to be the legitimate representative, turned up to exercise their franchise.
At the same time, another letter which was submitted by Michael Franco on behalf of the said Association was later read by Bynoe, who, after several back and forth rumblings opened the floor for suggestion on the matter, following which the delegates all agreed to give two parties from both factions voting privileges as it was not their intention to disenfranchise anyone present.
Beharry was nominated for the stewardship position by his clubmate and former vice-president Hubern Evans, while his opponent Vicram Seubarran was nominated by former Competitions Committee chairman Carl Moore, but when the dust settled, Beharry came out the victor 22-16.
It was the same scoreline given to first vice-president Dhieranidranauth Somwaru, who defeated Vemen Walters for that position while a three-party race involved Walter, Qualis Winter and ousted vice-president David Black for the second vice-president position.
Winter came out the victor with 18 votes to Walter’s 15 while Black managed a mere 5 votes, with Walter gaining the nod for the third vice-president position unopposed.
Haniff, who has served the BCB in the capacity of secretary for the past eight years, will do so for another two, as she was re-elected unopposed, even as Plafianna Millington, Vicky Bharosay and Richardo Baichan were elected unopposed to the positions of assistant secretary, treasurer and assistant treasurer respectively.
“I am very grateful for your support. I have been around cricket for many, many years and I know that I am capable to take the cricket to another level.
“I hand-picked my team and based on your judgment here today, I think I have picked a fairly good team, with the support being overwhelming. I take this opportunity to say thanks to those who supported me and even those who did not, as I wish for us to work together for the development of cricket in Berbice,” said Beharry.
He informed his audience which also included former secretary and life member of the BCB, Mortimer George, that he is willing to work along with Seubarran to move cricket forward, opening his arms towards his opponent.
“This game belongs to all of us and our main objective is to put aside what happened today which is a process and put Berbice cricket first as it comes first and the interest of our cricketers also come first, even as I take this opportunity to say that I have an open-door policy, seeking two or three opinions on issues before I make a decision.”
Beharry charged his executives, reminding them that they are all servants of the cricket and even told his electorate he is open to ideas that can be used to positively take Berbice cricket forward, outlining such things as inter-association meetings as part of the developmental process.
Following the elections and congratulatory remarks by Beharry and his team of executives, secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and director of the West Indies Cricket Board Anand Sanasie, who, along with Anand Kalladeen, witnessed the electoral process, offered his congratulations to Beharry.
“We at the GCB would like to congratulate Mr Beharry on his success today, while I must say we are willing to work along with anyone who was duly elected to administer cricket in Berbice, for the sake of developing the game wherein we can produce more cricketers for the West Indies at all levels,” said Sanasie.

(By Calvin Roberts)