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Diaspora happy about recognition of ‘Reds’ by CWI
DEAR EDITOR,
At long last, Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira, the man who did a tremendous job in broadcasting for Guyana and the Caribbean, will be honoured by Cricket West Indies (CWI) on September 3, the third day of the second Test match between India and the West Indies in Jamaica.
Congratulatory messages are pouring in to the 80-year-old legend at his Castries home in St. Lucia. Notes are from former West Indies vice captain, Deryck Murray, speedster Michael Holding, diplomat Sir Ronald Sanders, Guyanese Dave Martins, Desmond Roberts and dozens of others.
Like me, “Reds” came from humble beginnings. He rose to the top in cricket broadcasting — from the hinterland of the Pomeroon to Lords cricket ground in London – the cricket headquarters of the world. He made his broadcasting debut at Bourda in Georgetown in 1971 and after then he never looked back, after overcoming his speech impediment (stammering).
The diaspora, especially the cricket lovers, are very pleased that CWI (formerly the West Indies Cricket Board) has seen it fit to recognize a man who has made a significant contribution to the game. Reds was born in Pomeroon on the Essequibo Coast and moved to Georgetown when he was six. He had a serious problem because of his inability to speak fluently and confidently, but with training and determination to move to the top he made it, rubbing shoulders with world-renowned commentators like John Arlott, Freddie Trueman, Brian Johnston, Richie Benaud, Alan McGilvray, and his mentor, Tony Cozier.
Reds covered 147 test matches and broadcast between 300 and 400 other matches including ODIs and first class games. He reported from all the cricketing nations of the world except Bangladesh. He covered the 1975 Prudential World Cup, the controversial Kerry Packer series, and games in South Africa during the apartheid days.
He wrote a book on his work “Living my Dreams.”
I first met Reds in January 1966, on the day my mother passed away. He went to Berbice with Derek Whitehead of the National Sports Council to launch the Berbice Sports Council. I became closely associated with him in 1968 when he joined GBS Action Radio as a sports commentator, while I served there as a reporter in the newsroom with Cecil Griffith.
Reds was a “go getter” and that was responsible for his tremendous success. He can be described as an all-rounder, because he was a football and rugby coach as well as a broadcaster. He even commentated on athletics, cycling, boxing and other sports.
He did a tremendous job as Sports Organizer for the OECS coordinating endless sporting events in the sub region and elsewhere. He was excellent in getting sponsorship and with his popularity he was able to secure voluntary services from numerous coaches to conduct seminars and workshops. I hosted a few of his coaches while I was working in the Caribbean islands.
Cricket was Reds’ favourite and it was from his broadcasting he made his name. Thanks to Tony Cozier who assisted him throughout his career, which started at Bourda in Georgetown in 1971 in the Test match – West Indies against India.
Reds rose to the top as a cricket broadcaster, but it was not easy – he had to make tremendous sacrifices in the early days to travel from country to country – because he had to bear the expenses, as he was not in the original panels. But after he became a renowned commentator it was smooth sailing
Reds is a man to be admired, the young people should emulate his determination.
Oscar Ramjeet
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