Raphael endorses Chetram Singh for GCB Presidency

Jan 23, 2009 Sports

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Feels Panday should continue to develop
G/T cricket for another two years

The Guyana Cricket Board’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for Sunday is somewhat different from recent years in that the incumbent President Chetram Singh has been publicly challenged by GCB Secretary Bishwah Panday for the leadership position.
Panday feels that Singh, who has been at the helm of Guyana’s cricket since August 1991, has been there for too long, and it is now his turn.
Chairman of the GCB selection panel and former first division cricketer Claude Raphael said yesterday that he understands Panday’s point since it fits into the scheme of things where he feels that he must be the President now.
Raphael, who was mainly responsible for the formation of the Malteenoes Sports Club in the mid-1980s when he was President of that entity, argues that Panday, the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) President has been on the Board longer than Singh and has been Secretary of the Board for as long as Singh has been President.
“Those who know Mr. Panday are well aware that he was the strongest voice and biggest influence to Mr. Chetram Singh from the time he has been secretary until approximately three years ago when he decided that he wanted to be the President of the Board at which stage he proceeded to withdraw his support from Board matters and became involved in association level Cricket Administration, as  President of the GCA,” Raphael stated.
“It is therefore my view that the election for President of the GCB will be interesting, and I solidly support Mr. Chetram Singh on the following grounds:
(1). He has been there for approximately 18 years he is still young enough, lucid, focused and genuinely committed to cricket. (2). He has led with honesty efficiency and dedication and needs to exit with grace and dignity. (3).The projects on hand need his attention to ensure satisfactory completion,” Raphael added.
Raphael says that Singh’s performance over the years has been exemplary with innumerable achievements.
“Chetram Singh has brought the Board on sound financial footing for when he took over the Board was deep in the red, has established the Board office and Secretariat, established the restructured GCB with the Demerara Board and GCA in place, united the cricket throughout the counties while concretizing our established credibility at the WICB as Director, enhanced Youth Cricket development, infrastructural cricket development and general improvement of  cricketing facilities throughout Guyana,” Raphael continued.
The former right-handed batman feels that with the establishment of a Website and the acquisition of enhanced sponsorship for cricket in Georgetown, Panday has made a positive contribution to the development of cricket in the city but feels the GCB executive could have done more for the GCB.
“It is a pity that the GCB has not over the years benefited from the Secretary of the Board in this regard. It is my view that Mr. Panday should forget the GCB Presidency and stay at the helm of the GCA and work towards the strengthening of the clubs and the cricket in Georgetown at least for the next two years.  This will allow for the development of our young cricketers for as long as cricket in Georgetown improves the cricket in Guyana will improve.  We will then be able to win more Regional matches and provide the WI with more players of the desired ability,” Raphael, who has been  involved with the organising and development of cricket from 1983 when he became the President of MSC, opined.
Raphael has served on the GCB from 1983 to date and during this period worked closely with both Singh and Panday.
Raphael has plenty of experience in cricket Administration having served as President of the GCA and Demerara Board, Vice-President of the GCB, chairman of the Cricket Development Committee, Chairman of the Women Cricket Committee, Member/Chairman of the Senior Selectors, member of Competition Committee, awards committee, Reports Committee and almost every subcommittee of the Board over the years.
He has also been involved in the institution of the Youth Cricket Programme in 1984 along with Singh which brought to the fore the Hoopers, Barry’s, Corts, Barrington Brown, Chanderpaul among others.
Raphael said he initiated the Malteenoes Cricket academy in 1993 with support from Singh and the GCB and explained that his latest position of WICB Director offered the opportunity to represent the country at the highest level of Cricket decision making in the region.
“As a consequence I have been there, I have been involved and I know. I am emphasizing my support for Mr. Chetram Singh to be elected President to continue his work at GCB & WICB for in my view there is not enough justification for Mr. Panday despite his much touted good work at the GCA level.  This will provide the perfect arrangement for our cricket to move forward, it is good to see Mr. Panday working at the ground level so that he would be better prepared for the task ahead whenever the time comes for him to ascend to the Presidency. That time is not now,” Raphael said.
Raphael feels that to promote the removal of an official on the basis of time, and not on the quality of his performance cannot be justified.
“In any case Mr. Singh has excelled in terms of his performance over the years. So all serious minded cricket officials, delegates think carefully, think wisely, think constructively, and think for the betterment of cricket.
Think Chetram Singh, vote Chetram Singh for you will be accountable, you will be held responsible for your actions, an emotional Raphael concluded.
(Sean Devers)

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