Remembering the iconic GCC Ground, Bourda

Sep 17, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
While at Secondary School when it was cricket season we would get half days so we could go and enjoy watching the great West Indian team play at the famous Bourda ground in Georgetown. This was the time of Viv Richards, Clive Lloyd and Malcolm Marshall.
The only disappointment back then was the condition of the schoolboys’ pavilion. However, the opportunity to see a great match would eclipse the problems of the time.
There might have been a shortage of certain food items, running water and electricity, but there was never a shortage of a good time. We would all relish the opportunity to be outside enjoying the cricket with our school friends and it was great motivation for upcoming interclass and inter-house school cricket competitions.
What was amazing is that while under the PNC the boys would comment that the government doesn’t even fix the stand. Then came the PPP and they went so far as to move the main cricket ground out of town away from most of the children, making it difficult for many to have time to catch the match and creating the need to pay bus fare to go far to watch cricket with their school friends.
Remember back when Bourda was the place for the matches? Bicycle was still king. They forgot about us and themselves again. Now the new App is in place with APNU and the pleasure of going to Bourda to see a great match has still not returned and was overlooked to create Durban Park instead, much less having a great school boy stand or pavilion to enjoy. Yet again they forgot about us and themselves.
Unfortunately for some, our childhood joys seem to escape us. Fond memories of those days are a great guide on the road of life.
It’s quite eye opening how the little things that were important to all of us before seem to fall to the wayside when some of us grow older and focus on the good life in terms of financial reward.
If given a bit of thought and reflection many would realize how simple it could be to have the city vibrant and full of life again with the great game of cricket in a well maintained historic venue.
It was supposed to be an important part of our culture, a great part of our history and a significant historical site for outsiders to behold.
After all, this was the ground where the West Indies made history repeatedly and dominated for over a decade. Maybe these little, but important things get too easily lost with the “in with the new and out with the old” way of doing things.
Those who have had the pleasure of enjoying the intimate setting of Bourda Cricket Ground and have seen some of the greats play there would always look forward to its return.
Best regards,
Jamil Changlee

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