Letter to the Sports Editor...Unfair practices in Berbice cricket

Letter to the Sports Editor…Unfair practices in Berbice cricket

Dec 13, 2012 Sports

Dear Editor,
By 12:30pm Sunday afternoon at the Community Centre Ground, popularly known as the Back centre, Corriverton, it appears that all was not well. The hype and enthusiasm for the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) organized finals of the Upper Corentyne T/20 had less than 100 persons. And this was already through the first half of the first match. Even by the end of the day this had not grown to more than several hundred other than the several thousand expected. The week before the community was bombarded with advertising from TV and public address systems.
From there things only grew worse. When winners and prizes were announced at about 5:30pm there were audible murmurs from the assembled players – “unfair, not true, something wrong …” and much worse. The winner received G$20,000 and a trophy, runner- up $10,000 and a trophy, third place $5,000 and cash prizes for the best batsman and bowler in the final. This appeared wholly unexpected and considerably far below what was promised or anticipated.
Over the past week it had already gone around the community that prize money was no obstacle. After practice Friday afternoon, 8th December, 2012, one club participating in the final was certain that its promise of making the final would be a net $75,000 – $80,000. Similarly, at the popular Grill Bar in Corriverton on Saturday evening the claims were equally extravagant and certain.
Organisers were well aware that this was in fact happening and deliberately encouraged it to attract attention and audience. When asked to verify the claim one of them indicated that the BCB had already been promised in excess of $300,000 sponsorship. Even if we lower the latter by $100,000 then there should have been at least $200,000 in prize money and not the paltry sum of a little over $50,000 that was made available.
Was this a deliberate attempt by the organizers and BCB to delude with a smoke and mirrors system of organization/management? Why were players and clubs not officially informed, in writing, of the prizes so there could/would be no confusion between expectation and eventual prizes? What made matters worse is that the BCB made no effort to explain how much monies were collected and how it was spent; and since the BCB is not a firm believer in independent audits that’s where it may remain.
At least two of the clubs and players involved in the final matches are understandably upset. One provided details of their costs and showed that the five matches they were asked to play – travel, balls, umpiring, lunches, – amounted to more than $60,000. If they knew this was the deal they certainly would not have participated. They argue further, since this was not part of the BCB’s regularly scheduled matches they ought to have been given at least half the cost of participation. One cynical comment that ended the discussion, “Man, de people come to promote dem self and we de ass to follow. De only ting is, we half poorer than yesterday.”
The other curious incident at the game was the announcement at half time of the final match. BCB announcement: “Teams that were so informed were asked to meet in the pavilion for the promised meeting”. Half an hour later one colleague emerged with broad smile on his face. It was an election and not a meeting. Selected clubs, apparently, were called days before and informed of the meeting. Those who seemed to be in the know, at least half a dozen, were quick to impose order on the rest who appeared uncertain and restive about an unannounced election. No public announcement, no notice or forewarning. This was a select group by the BCB, with a prearranged agenda meeting behind closed doors. What is dangerous here is not only the callous disregard for the merest requirements of fairness, transparency and decency but the fact that the BCB is a member of the Government-inspired IMC that seeks to impose its vision on the rest of us.
Rishee Thakur

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