TEST opener Rajendra Chandrika was last Friday night awarded the Cricketer-of-the-Year award when the Everest Cricket Club (ECC) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and award ceremony at the club’s pavilion.Other awardees included: Batsman-of-the-Year, First Division – Tagenarine Chanderpaul; Bowler-of-the-Year, First Division – Troy Gonsalves; Batsman-of-the-Year, Second Division – Khemraj Ramdeen; Bowler-of-the-Year, Second Division – Javed Rasheed; Outstanding Youth Cricketer-of-the-Year – Akshaya Persaud; Batsman-of-the-Year, Junior- Yeudistir Persaud; Bowler-of-the-Year, Junior – Zakarias Mootoo; Batsman-of-the-Year, Masters – Sahadeo Hardaiow and Bowler-of-the-Year, Masters – Johnny Azeez
Meanwhile, the club newest Life Member Rajesh Singh has been elected to the club’s top post for the year 2016-17 following the AGM.
The AGM, which was well attended in the club’s pavilion, started with matters of the 2015/16 executives, including the adoption of the Minutes of the AGM of February 2015 and Reports from the Audited financial statement, secretary, club captain and president.
For his elevation on becoming a West Indies Test player, cricketer Rajendra Chandrika was announced as the club’s Honorary Life Member.
Outgoing president Stephen Lewis thanked the 2015/16 executives and membership for their support in what was described as a challenging year for the club. However, the club still managed an overall profit and saw the realisation of many projects, including the ‘Century Kitchen’, which is bearing the fruits of the club’s investment.
Lewis wished the new executives best of luck in carrying out the plans of the club, including the erection of permanent international floodlights. While Lewis will not be part of the 2016/17 Executive, he will remain a committed member of the club and will actively play any role to see the club’s further development
After the 2015/16 executives were dissolved by Returning Officer, Guyana Coast Guard Commander Orin Porter and the floor was opened to nominations for the 101-year-old club’s top post, Lewis immediately rose to nominate the 43-year-old Singh and the nomination was seconded by member Ishwar Singh.
Member Johnny Azeez then begged for nominations to be closed and it was seconded by Avinash Prasad. After Commander Porter announced that Rajesh Singh will be the new president for 2016/17, Lewis rose once again to propose that the slate of the new executives be taken en block. This was also seconded by Azeez.\
President Singh then rose to announce the slate of fellow executives that will serve until the next AGM, which is set for February 2017. Johnny Azeez (Senior vice-president), Kalyan Tiwari (Junior vice-president), Carmachand Rambarran (secretary), Reuel Sumair (assistant secretary), Manichan Rai (treasurer), Anthony Rampersaud (assistant treasurer) and Saheed Mohamed (Club captain).
The Committee members are Rakesh Balgobin, Bhesham Persaud, Mitchell Caesar and Dwayne Adams. John Ramsingh was announced as the club’s Public Relations Officer.
This is the first time in the club’s history that such a position has been made available.
Singh, who previously served as the club’s president for the periods 2008-2010 and 2012-13, was earlier in the evening announced as the club’s newest Life Member after being a financial and active club member for a minimum of 25 consecutive years. Singh joined the club as a teenager in 1990 and has had many successes both on and off the field.