By Frederick Halley

TWO years after being inducted into the USA Cricket Hall of Fame, Guyana-born businessman and cricket administrator extraordinaire, Praim Persaud, will be prestigiously honoured once again, this time with the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2022.

According to the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame Committee, “after reviewing all nominations received and upon evaluation we are pleased to offer our congratulations on this most deserved honour earned through your contributions to cricket”.

The committee pointed out that “we are pleased to advise that we will be recognising you for your many accomplishments and contributions to sport in our community at our annual Induction Ceremony at the Rose Theatre, Brampton, on the evening of Tuesday, May 3, 2022”.

A staunch cricket administrator and former player, Persaud was inducted into the USA Cricket Hall-of-Fame in October 2020, which recognises those individuals who played the sunshine game at the highest level and have dedicated their lives to the promotion and preservation of the ideals of cricket.

Persaud has been a servant of cricket, both as a player and administrator for the past 45 years and still continues to do so at various levels. He is credited to have contributed to the growth, development and visibility of cricket in two Canadian provinces – Montreal, Quebec, for almost 10 years and Ontario, mainly in the Brampton, Mississauga, Toronto, Etobicoke and other cities and districts for the last 35 plus years and counting.

Persaud is also a Special Adviser on Cricket to the Mayor of Brampton, Patrick Brown, and has successfully forged a very rewarding partnership with the City Council and all respective stakeholders of planning, development, infrastructure and funding, as well as parks and maintenance, all of whom are now committed to working on the current and future growth of cricket in the city.

Currently the vice-president of Cricket Ontario, after serving previously as president, Persaud pointed out that he intends to continue his voluntary services to the sport at both the League and Cricket Ontario at the Provincial Level and to ensure that cricket is finally recognised by all government, municipalities and city administrations as one of the main stream sports that deserve both the respect and due attention as other mainline Canadian recognised sports.

Persaud also wants to focus his energies in building an Ontario administration that is functional under and ‘open’ governance philosophy and is inclusive to all who are willing to volunteer their services under the guidelines of transparency, co-operation and for the benefit of all and not drive by self-interest and self-motivations.

“I will also concentrate on the development of a strong and vibrant women and youth development in Ontario as we move forward as the PSO of the province.”

Persaud told the Hall-of-Fame Committee that he thinks he has the will and determination and have demonstrated his determination and abilities in both his professional and cricketing life to date – that he will be an asset to the organisation.