Guyana still going to S/Africa

Aug 03, 2010 Sports

---

Guyana team members led by Jonathan Foo with trophy celebrate their triumph.

‘CL T20 contract says 50% prize money for Board’- GCB official

By Sean Devers in Trinidad In association with Digicel

The worst seems to have passed and according to a high-ranking Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) official the Guyana team which won the Caribbean 20/20 Championships by beating Barbados here in Saturday’s final, will still be going to South Africa after a hiccup due to a contract dispute between the players and the GCB.
While the contracts, which were given to the Guyana players less than 2 weeks ago stipulates that 50% the prize money for the Champions League T20 cricket tournament in South Africa from September 10-26 has to go to the Guyana Cricket Board, Vice-President of the GCB Anand Sanasie informed that this was not the decision of the GCB.
He also said that the Guyana players have since signed the contracts and added that Guyana will be the team representing the Caribbean in South Africa.
“I would like to state that I spent the last 48 sleepless hours negotiating with the world power of cricket to ensure Guyana is present in South Africa and yes we would be there, it is confirmed,” Sanasie informed Kaieteur Sport yesterday afternoon.
The GCB official insisted that the players were never asked for money from the Caribbean 20/20 competition adding that he felt that players were influenced by the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) and the Captain resulting in them not signing the contracts.
It is very unfair for the players to have to give 50% of their prize money to their cricket board but Sanasie, a Director on the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) was adamant that in the contract that the Guyana team was asked to sign was identical to the one signed by Trinidad and Tobago when they played in the CL last year in India.
“The GCB has never requested any money from the players for the just concluded tournament and the contract we are asking the players to sign for CL T20 2010 is identical to the one signed between TTCB and WIPA last year,” Sanasie explained.
“The Airtel contract sent to us by BCCI stipulates that the CL T20 prize be shared equally between the Board and the Players. Every cricket nation participating in the tournament has to comply since it was an issue settled when this tournament was hatched. Of course I am always available to give you documented info to substantiate this, it was shown to some of the Players,” the GCB official explained.
It is understood that WIPA is involved on the player’s behalf but Sanasie said it was strange that the Guyanese did not sign the contracts when T&T had already done so.
The deadline for submission of the contract to the organizers has passed and Sanasie blamed the players for almost being left out of the tournament which was won by New South Wales last year when they beat T&T in the final.
“You should also know that the players were the culpable party. They were told not to sign while Trinidad signed days before and never told anyone,” Sanasie disclosed.
West Indies cricket has been plagued by contractual problems between the players and the Board and both WIPA and the Board have been blamed for their hard line attitudes towards each other.
While Guyana’s participation has been assured it is understood that they are still a few lose ends to be tied up. Sarwan, who led the team brilliantly in Barbados and Trinidad and who has the players full support, said that WIPA handles matters on the players behalf.
Many are of the view that the players have done all the hard work to qualify for South Africa and should not have to give up half of their earnings to their board and a Guyanese official confirmed that 6 other players were asked to sign contracts after problems with the ones in Trinidad began to develop.
The Guyana players are contending that they were given no opportunity to negotiate their contract with the GCB which Sanasie says was the exact documentation that was signed last year between the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board (TTBC) and their players.
“Ramnarine (WIPA President) always sets different standards for Trinidad. The day is soon arriving when GCB cannot organise any cricket or negotiate with a sponsor without talking to Ramnarine,” an upset Sanasie concluded.
Guyana’s Sports Minister Dr Frank Anthony who has been following the competition closely, indicated that a function has been arranged for the Ramnaresh Sarwan-led team for tomorrow while the GCB has confirmed that a 20-member squad will be selected from which the 15-man touring party will be picked.
Yesterday was a National Holiday in Trinidad and efforts to contact Ramnarine for a comment on the contract issue proved futile.
Meanwhile, WICB President Julian Hunte said the Caribbean 20/20 tournament was a success and congratulated Guyana for their victory.
“I want to say well done to everyone who had a hand in the successful staging of the Caribbean T20 Tournament. It was a quality event and the people of the Caribbean have every reason to be proud of what we saw on the fields at Kensington Oval in Barbados and Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad. The entire cricket world witnessed what we have on offer, via our broadcast partner ESPN, and it looked really good. The people of the region are the ones who made it happen and we at the WICB want them to know they did a fantastic job.” Dr Hunte said.
“Special congratulations must go to the Guyana team for that tremendous victory. They played very well as a team and had to fight hard for their wins. The final was one to remember and the Guyanese showed the value of self-belief as they came from behind to record a miraculous victory. Barbados also played well and deserved to be in the final and I want to say well done to them as well. It was a delight to see several new players coming to the forefront and showing their quality and we hope to see much more of them in the future as we strive to revitalize West Indies Cricket.”
He added: “From the first ball the people were really into the CT20. Throughout the tournament you could feel the vibes and it was clear there is still that passion among West Indians. In the first stage in Barbados the fans came out to show their support and in Trinidad it went to another level, with close to 50,000 spectators watching the spectacle. At the WICB we aim to build on this as we try to ensure that cricket in the Caribbean remains the game of the people,” the WICB top man said.
The Guyana team arrived home on Sunday night and are scheduled to start their CLT20 campaign on September 12 against Indian side Royal Challengers Bangalore.
*****************************

GASA names 22-member team for 16th Goodwill Meet in Paramaribo

HAPPY BUNCH!!! Guyana's Goodwill swmimers pose with supporters and team officials at the Aquatic Centre at the end of the 15th Goodwill Swim Meet August 15- 2009. Franklin Wilson photo.

Squad aiming to better last year’s medal haul of 15
The Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) has named a 22-member team to represent Guyana at the Sixteenth Goodwill Swim Meet set for Paramaribo, Suriname from August 13 -15 to be hosted by the Surinaamse Zwem Bond (Suriname Swimming Federation).
The team has been undergoing rigorous training in the past weeks with training sessions being held in the mornings from 17:00hrs to 19:30 and on weekdays and on Saturday from 06:00hrs to 08:00hrs. The swimmers are currently in their tapering phase and have ceased land and gym work leading up to the competition. This year’s Goodwill Meet will be held at the Oase Swimming Pool and will see children swimming in races covering 50m and 100m distances in all four strokes – freestyle, butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke – in the various age groups (8 & under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-17). There are also 200m Freestyle and Individual Medley events. Age group relays in freestyle and medley races will also be competed.
Headlining Guyana’s quest for top podium finishes among the girls are the experienced Britany van Lange, Soroya Simmons, Athena Gaskin, and Noelle Smith; who will come up against the high flying Trinidad and Tobago and host country.
Among the boys Team Guyana will be looking to are Ronaldo Rodrigues making a welcome return to Goodwill, Serrano Gonsalves, Sheik Amir, Joseph Seguina and Jaime Jabar. Apart from their quests for medals, the Guyanese swimmers will be aiming to turn in personal best times in their respective events.
They will also be seeking to better their medal haul at the 15th Goodwill Meet which was held at the Aquatic Center in Barbados last August where Guyana raked in 15 medals overall from their 17-member team.
Making their debuts on the team this year are girls: Jamila Sanmoogan, Athena Foo and Tiffany De Moura with the boys being Hannibal Gaskin, Omar Adams, Omari Dunn and Kevon De Moura.
The Goodwill Swim Meet is an annual event in which four countries – Suriname, Barbados, Trinidad and Guyana compete as will Grenada which has been invited as a guest team. T&T have already named a 40-member (full allotment) strong contingent for Goodwill. The Goodwill Swim Meet is a developmental meet; many swimmers will be using this meet as a stepping stone to higher level competitions.
Team Guyana comprises 22 swimmers (10 girls & 12 boys): Girls 9-10: Accalia Khan; 11-12: Onika George, Jamila Sanmoogan and Tiffany De Moura. 13-14: Britany van Lange, Athena Gaskin, Soroya Simmons and Athena Foo. 15-17: Noelle Smith and Steffi De Nobrega.
Boys 11-12: Shaqueel Amin, Hannibal Gaskin, Omar Adams, Omari Dunn; 13-14: Ronaldo Rodrigues, Serrano Gonsalves, Travis Henry and Omali Dare. 15-17: Sheik Amir, Kevon De Moura, Jaime Jabar and Joseph Seguina.
Head Coach is Shyka Gonslaves with Chris McAdam as Assistant. Team Manager is Jean La Rose with Kamala van Lange as Chaperone.
Medals will be awarded to the first, second and third place finishers in each event. Trophies will be given to the male and female gaining the most points in each age-group while the championship trophy will be given to the team amassing the highest points. Suriname are the defending champions.

---

---