Alfred Mentore is new GCA President

Jan 29, 2009 Sports

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Bish Panday steps down

By Sean Devers

Thirty-seven-year-old former Guyana under-19 batsman Alfred Mentore was last evening elected unopposed as the new President of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) at their Annual General Meeting which took place at the Demerara Cricket Club.
Mentore, who represented Guyana at the youth level in 1991 in Jamaica, was elevated from the position of Vice-President which he served for the last two years under incumbent Bish Panday who did not seek re-election.
None of the positions were challenged and the election of former first-class batsman Neil Barry and Everest Cricket captain Surendra Herilall to the positions of Vice-Presidents means that the three top positions of the GCA is in the hands of persons who still play cricket at the local club level.
Salim Baksh returns as the Secretary after doing a commendable job in the position for the past two terms while Teresa Pemberton (the lone female on the executive) is his assistant.
Harry Pramesar retained his position as Treasurer while Assistant Treasurer Denis Wilson and Chairman of the competitions committee Shawn Massiah who also did an excellent job in his two terms of service, were also re-elected.
Malteenoes Sports Club President Lance Hinds is the new Marketing Manager while PKF Barcellos, Narine and Company maintained their position as the GCA’s Auditors.
Veteran journalist Adam Harris was re-elected as the Public Relations Officer.
Panday, speaking in his capacity as outgoing President said he was satisfied that his executive had done a good job to revive cricket in the City although he lamented that attendance at meetings was a main area of concern for many of the GCA members during the last term of office.
“The GCA is financially sound. The incoming executive takes office with $1.3 million in the bank. I can say that none of the county boards have more than $800,000 and $3million of our revenue last year was generated from sponsorship,” Panday disclosed.
“Even though I am demitting office today (yesterday) I spent most of the day talking to our sponsors and I am glad to say that while the GCA will need to do some fund-raising ventures this year, sponsorship for the various competitions planned should not be a major concern,” Panday informed.
The former Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Secretary who lost to President Chetram Singh at last Sunday’s GCB elections, said that while he will no longer be involved in Georgetown as an administrator he will be there to provide whatever support he can, especially in the area of sponsorship for competitions.
While he declined to go into details, Panday hinted that most of the sponsors of competitions from last year will not turn their backs on cricket in the City this year.
“A surplus was made from all of our competitions last year which went back into the paying of coaches and purchasing balls and I urge the big clubs to lead the way with fund raising activities this year to maintain our programs. Cricket is not all about competitions and developmental programs are very important for success. This year the GCA wants to organise scoring seminars and prepare squads of the most promising players for under-15, 17 and 19 competitions long before those competitions begin,” Panday added.
He also challenged the new executive and members to move three important motions.
“You have to look at changing the constitution so that it can be amended at general meetings and not only at AGMs; all of the dead clubs that are non-existent have to be weeded out while you have to amend the constitution to have two OGMs meetings instead of four which is what is presently required,” Panday charged those present.
The past President also said he was disappointed that West Indies selector Clyde Butts (the past Vice President) only attended a single meeting for the year although he was also a Vice-President on the Demerara Cricket Board.
Panday also told the gathering that the GCA must hold a presentation ceremony to award and reward those who helped the association and promised to continue showing a personal interest in the GCA and cricket in the Capitol.
Former DCC President Sherlock Atwell performed the duties of presiding officer and said afterwards that the executive body looked well equipped to ensure the GCA continues to be the best run association in Guyana since it comprised of many former cricketers and some competent administrators.
“The last GCB elections give me the impression that the Guyana board was sold for nine votes and while you (GCA) might not have it easy this year because of the politics that is destroying our cricket, you must never give up and work as a united team,” Atwell urged.
The new President thanked Panday for moulding him as an administrator and thanked him for his wonderful work as GCA President over the last two years.
“I thank Mr Panday for his role as GCA President and for his promise to lend continued assistance to us and it is with great humbleness that I accept this position knowing that we have a lot of work to do and with the promise that we will hit the road running,” Mentore said.
Mentore, who represented Demerara at the senior Inter-County level in 1994, congratulated the Presidents of the GCB and DCB on their recent appointments and said he hoped to forge a good working relationship with both boards in the best interest of cricket.

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