BCB and Berbice Cricket Umpires Association pledge to work together - Simon hails efforts of new Administration

BCB and Berbice Cricket Umpires Association pledge to work together – Simon hails efforts of new Administration

Mar 25, 2018 Sports

BCB President Hilbert Foster (3rd left) with BCUA Members at the recently held meeting.

President of the Berbice Cricket Board Hilbert Foster, as part of an ongoing Outreach Programme to meet with cricket stakeholders across the ancient county, on Wednesday last met the Executives and Members of the Berbice Cricket Umpires Association (BCUA) at the Board’s Charlotte Street, New Amsterdam Office. The Berbice Cricket Umpires Association delegation included President Joseph Simon, Secretary Moses Ramphal and Treasurer Jai Hardeo. The newly elected President since his election on the 18th February, 2018, has been hosting a series of meetings to listen to suggestions from Cricket Stakeholders and also to inform them of plans for the rest of 2018.
Foster, in remarks to the Umpires underscored their importance to the development of Berbice Cricket and urged them to work along with the Berbice Cricket Board to return the game to its rightful place. Noting that the standard of Berbice Cricket has fallen at an alarming rate over the last two years, Foster stated that it would require a Superman’s effort to lift it out of the doldrums. With hardly no Inter-Club Tournaments being played, most Clubs had ceased to exist and efforts are now been made to get them functioning again.
The Berbice Cricket Umpires Association was urged to get their house in order as they would be expected to provide Umpires for close to sixteen tournaments expected to be organised by the Berbice Cricket Board over the next nine months. Foster urged the Umpires to remain professional while ensuring that the rules of cricket are enforced at all levels without bias. The Association was also urged to attract new members as the workload would be too much for the current membership.
The Berbice Cricket Board President committed himself to assisting the Umpires Association to finding avenues to attract new members and to get the Association to improve its administration. Foster would also seek to assist the Berbice Cricket Umpires Association by getting coloured T/Shirts and it was also agreed that the Berbice Cricket Board would honour two Umpires at its upcoming Annual Award Ceremony on the 21st April, 2018. The two awards would be the Runner-up Umpire of the Year 2017 and Umpire of the Year 2017. Retired Umpires and Outstanding Umpires would also be recognised and honoured at the Berbice Cricket Board Tribute to Heroes Programme. The Berbice Cricket Umpires Association Members were told that Foster would be available at all times to listen to their suggestions and also to solve any problem.
Berbice Cricket Umpires Association Joseph Simon and the Umpires present pledged their full support to the newly elected Executives and expressed confidence in the leadership of Hilbert Foster. The long serving Berbice Cricket Umpires Association President stated that the Association’s Members were committed to working along with the Berbice Cricket Board to lift Berbice Cricket.
Members were also concerned at the level of payment for Berbice Umpires as there was no increase for the last four years. Foster advised the Association to write officially to the Berbice Cricket Board with a proposed hike in payment for consideration. Simon hailed the outstanding work of the Berbice Cricket Board since the elections and urged Foster to uphold his high standard of work. The Berbice Cricket Board President has also pledged to meet with the Umpires on a regular basis.