Latest update November 15th, 2024 1:00 AM
Basketball fraternity mourns the death of Trevor Rose
By Edison Jefford
The basketball fraternity was yesterday plunged into mourning following the death of the former Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) President, Trevor Rose, who was gunned down around Eccles on the East Bank Carriageway.
Kaieteur Sport photographed the late Trevor Rose, who was a former GABA President, in 2011 as he collected backboards as part of his Burnham Court Development Project.
Rose, who as a fashion designer brought a fire breathing dragon to life, caused a Banks Beer to effervesce with the appearance of an arctic chill and captured Guyanese folklore, served GABA as President during 2008-2011, with the same level of creativity.
Rose won multiple costume band prizes for local companies including, Digicel, Banks DIH and was even earmarked in 2006 to design bands for the Jamaican Carnival, who’s CEO, Byron Lee chose Rose after witnessing the designer’s impressive work locally.
That was the beginning of the popularisation of Rose as a force to reckon with in the industry in the Caribbean. He went on to form ‘Facts and Roses’, which was a collaborative effort with wife, designer, Michelle Cole and won the majority of prizes at Mash 2007.
Rose had a deep basketball background, known for his long-range jump shots; he was nicknamed ‘Chinee’. It was his success in the fashion industry and his constant visits to Burnham Basketball Court that ignited his tenure as Georgetown sub-association President.
He won the presidency in September 2008 and his ambitious plan for basketball development in Georgetown resulted in the first sketch of a modern Burnham Court being drawn. As a result, the vibrant, always buoyant Rose had raised $11M for the project.
In addition, his other notable achievements as a sport administrator, include linking the sport to important corporate entities and rebranding the sport’s image with his unique creativity, where the entertainment and fashion industries were constantly imported to basketball.
Rose brought back basketball to Georgetown after some years of dormancy with an Inter-Ward tournament and revived the Division I and III Leagues in the City. He even invested his personal resources to form a club, Facts and Roses Jaguars to compete locally.
However, Rose’s growth in the fashion and design world meant that more companies sought him for their Mash bands, which gave him little time to concentrate on managing the sport; despite being there for basketball in difficult times, Rose lost the 2011 GABA Elections.
His departure from the helm of the sport in February 2011 started a downward spiral for the sport that lasted approximately two years until Michael Singh won the Presidency in Georgetown early last year and began the rebuilding work with grassroots programmes.
The last three years were not Rose’s best either; Facts and Roses folded, he was separated from Cole and his dominance at Mash diminished. However, his unique creativity allowed him to stay relevant with stage and other decor for groups like Hits and Jams.
Rose recently returned from a Caribbean tour where he told this writer that he was exploring the markets outside of Guyana to launch his biggest project yet, ‘Rose Productions’, which he stated will encompass managing design, decor and marketing projects.
His return to Guyana late last week was immediately meted with a conversation with this writer, where his ideas for Rose Productions were already taking shape. Rose wanted to bounce back in a strong manner that would have launched his work globally.
GABA President, Singh extended condolences to the family and friends of the late Rose, stating that a wake will be held for the basketball aficionado on Burnham Basketball Court, as plans are streamlined with Rose’s family. The date will be announced later.
Kaieteur Sport also takes this opportunity to extend sincere condolences to the basketball community and all those mourning the loss of Rose, including family and friends. May the soul of a brilliant contributor to the creative arts and former sport administrator rest in peace.
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