BCB’s 2024 Awards Ceremony…

THE Berbice Cricket Board’s (BCB) annual awards ceremony was held with pomp and splendour at the St. Francis Community Development Centre in Rose Hall Town on Saturday Evening.
Albion’s West Indies left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie was named the BCB’s Cricketer of the year.

Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) and West Indies female, Shenika Grimmond was named Senior female cricketer of the year while former West Indies pacer and current Guyana female coach Tremayne Smartt copped the Coach of the Year award.

Imran Moakan, who made his first-class debut at Providence, was named Umpire of the Year.
Shamar Joseph was awarded for the best ‘International Performance’ of the year, with his 7-68 against Australia in the third Test, spearheading the West Indies to their first series win in Australia in 28 years.
The RHTYSC has produced 128 players to represent Berbice. The Corentyne Club under the Presidency of Hilbert Foster has continued to dominate Berbice cricket, and was named the senior Club of the Year.
Assad Fudadin and Kevin Sinclair are the club’s two Test players. If Kevlon Anderson is selected during this Test series against Australia in Grenada or Jamaica, he would be RHTYSC’s third Test player for the club which was founded in 1990.

Special Awards were given to Anderson and Sinclair for their consistent performances last year.
After an opening prayer by Angela Haniff, who was honoured for long service as an Administrator, BCB’s President, Dr Cecil Beharry, provided the opening remarks.
Dr Beharry told a disappointing turnout, which included just a single present Berbice player (Kevin Sinclair), that his administration took office in December 2023.
“Last year, we were young and inexperienced, so it was sometimes difficult dealing with ‘public life’ since when you do something well, there is silence … and for everything else, there is criticism.
We took over a Board under a cloud of suspicion with a financial audit hanging over our heads but we have used this audit to our advantage.
We have used the recommendations from the report to institute reforms in the procedures of competitions, selections, discipline and most importantly, the financial aspect of our operations to withstand the most rigorous scrutiny, therefore making the board’s operations transparent and accountable,” explained Dr Beharry.

He told the gathering at the well-decorated venue that the Guyana Cricket Board has resumed the BCB’s subventions and even supported the BCB’ two-day cricket programme.
He thanked Dr Allister Denbow for getting Sir Curtly Ambrose to work with the Berbice pacers.
The BCB’s Head also thanked Dr Tulsi Dyal for sponsoring their Cricket Academy last year.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat (the Patron of BCB) has agreed to sponsor this year’s Academy and informed that the GCB continues to sponsor their Cricket Academies.
Minister Bharrat, who hails from the East Bank of Berbice and has been the Patron of the BCB for the past five years, told the awardees to never give up even when they are down.
“Our cricketers also have to be trained in off-field aspects of their cricket development …especially in public speaking.” He questioned why Berbice is not reproducing their youth level success to the senior inter-county level.
Further, Minister Bharrat said that Dr Beharry’s predecessor (Foster) must be mentioned for his contribution to Berbice cricket.

He praised the great work of Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson and emphasised the importance of sports in Guyana’s growth as the fastest growing economy in the world.
Meanwhile, GCB President, Bissoondyal Singh, in his remarks, said, “Tonight, we celebrate excellence. We honour the hard work of the administrators who have contributed significantly to the game in Berbice over the past year.

To all awardees…congratulations for the discipline, perseverance and passion of players and coaches to uphold the strong cricketing tradition that Berbice has nurtured for generations.
Berbice has always been a great contributor to Guyana’s cricket. I commend the BCB for its hard work”
He added, “At the grassroots level, I am particularly encouraged by the strides being made across the County. Cricket development must begin with our youth, and the expansion of coaching clinics, school competitions and talent identification programmes is a crucial step.

Collaboration is needed between clubs, schools, and the board. This will result in more young boys and girls not only playing cricket, but also dreaming of representing Berbice, Guyana and the West Indies.
Singh said that the GCB in collaboration with the BCB will set up six full-time academies across the County and provide six paid coaches from Berbice to work with boys and girls ages seven to 17.
He said that this will significantly increase the number of youth cricketers and fast-track the development structure in the county of Berbice and that the GCB will spend $400,000 per month on this project.
“The GCB will sponsor a first division two-day club competition for another 1.5M.

Berbice has always provided valuable talent for our national squads. Your contributions have helped shape a competitive Guyana team that performs consistently across regional tournaments.
The GCB has increased its subvention to the BCB from $2.5M per annum to $5M.
All other expenditures, including wages, will be fully paid by the GCB,” Singh stated.

The GCB’s President took the opportunity to endorse President Irfaan Ali for a second term and disclosed his endorsement was on behalf of the entire GCB membership.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Charles Ramson, spoke about the production of great cricketers from Berbice and how the improvement of Community grounds and cricket facilities by the Guyana Government has assisted in giving Cricketers in Berbice more opportunities to play the game.

If Anderson makes his debut in this Australian series, he would become the twenty-first Berbician to don the Maroon cap at Test level.
“We have had over 1,000 community development consultations in Berbice, and soon Guyana will have five Stadiums that could facilitate cricket shortly after the rain stops”, informed Minister Ramson.
The minister told the gathering, which included outstanding former Jamaica and West Indies cricketer Marlon Samuels, and Devendra Bishoo, one of four Guyanese with 100 Test wickets (Gibbs, Croft & Hooper are the others), that stadiums at Albion and Palmyra in Berbice, one in Linden and the other in Anna Regina on the Essequibo Coast will have the same drainage system similar to Providence.
“Some are saying that they can’t eat Stadiums but if you look at the bigger picture you see how building that Stadium at Anna Regina will improve that standard of life for those who live there.
Two Hotels are being built there because international teams will be going to play there. TV crews, supporters, families of the players will need accommodation and meals. More jobs will become available… food vendors, taxi and minibus drivers will be needed. Everyone will benefit from the spin-off from the cricket.

That Stadium should be completed by August, and we hope that the Women’s CPL will be held there.” Ramson said.
“Berbice has produced the most West Indies players per capita. In 1975 when we won the first World Cup, Berbicians Fredericks, Kallicharran and Kanhai were among the five Guyanese in the side.
We have got to prioritise what sports we invest in, and cricket will always be Guyana’s number one sport. It’s the only sport that gives Guyanese the opportunity to excel at global events and play in muti-million dollar leagues,” added Ramson who said President Ali played cricket, understands the sport, and is a best friend to cricket.

“We possess the capabilities of the best in the world but advised that making the team is just the start. That’s when the work has now started…consistent performances keep you in the side and helps the team to win.
This Government is building facilities, creating opportunities with Academies and paying coaches. The previous Administration placed little interest in Sports and had Sports and Education as one Ministry. We changed that when we assumed office,” Ramson noted.

He explained that there were no GCB elections in 12 years but after eight months in Government that problem was solved.
Marlon Samuels, who scored classy fifties in both T20 World Cup matches which West Indies won (2012 & 2016) encouraged the awardees to be disciplined and believe in themselves.
Samuels has officially joined as a resident and investor with Taj Diamond, a new planned community, aiming to redefine urban housing development in Guyana.

Samuels, who has 17 International centuries, has secured seven homes in the development, with one as his personal residence and six as part of his rental investment portfolio.
“The Guyana Government is doing a great job under the leadership of Dr Ali and everyone can see that Guyana is indeed the fastest growing economy in the world” posited the 44-year-old who endorsed President Ali for another term.
Several other Awards were presented with the ceremony climaxing with a sumptuous dinner.