The Berbice Cricket Board is doing a phenomenal job

Feb 25, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) is doing a phenomenal job and as such the Board has transformed itself to an organization which is admired not only in the Co-operative Repblic, but the entire Caribbean. Ever since Hilbert Foster took over the leadership of the BCB the cricketing body has been doing wonders not only in promoting the summer game, but has been involved in a series of community work not only in the town of Rose Hall, but the entire county of Berbice. It seems to me that Foster and the BCB are doing what politicians and other community leaders should undertake. In fact Hilbert is displaying leadership and organizational ability never seen before in the 81 year old cricketing body. In addition to securing sponsorship and other contributions from businessmen he has courted assistance from cricketers, both current and past. Shimron Hetmeyer, Kevin Sinclair and Romario Shepherd are among the current and former players. Clayton Lambert heads the list of former players including Leslaine Lambert, Jerry Angus, Kevin Darlington, Troy Halley, Narsingh Deonarine, Vishal Nagamoottoo and Mahendra Nagamootoo among others.
The donations started with Dr. Tulsi Singh, his brother Pooran Singh also a medical doctor based in Barbados, businessman Brian Ramphal who is in California, Mc Sood Ahmad, insurance magnet and executive member of Cricket West Indies, who is based in St. Martin and shortly after a long list of businessmen and even a few organizations joined in the flood of contributors. Foster used his talent and contacts and resusitated sub boards and associations on the Upper Corentyne and West Berbice. He also arranged tournaments in all the areas in Berbice and with the assistance of sponsorship organized under 15 and under 20 competitions. He went so far to promote Women’s Cricket. What is remarkable while the tournaments are going on the Board has arranged training programmes. No doubt Foster is a people’s person and is very sympathetic to the poor and unfortunate. At instances would hand out hampers. And while Foster and the BCB are doing an amazing job, it seems as if there is a power struggle with the parent body the Guyana Cricket Board. A Demerara Cricket Board was established a few years ago. I just read that the Essequibo Cricket Board is spreading its wings with the establishment of a Cricket Committee. I served as Secretary of the BCB in 1965 and with the support of the DCC representatives at the time Fred Wills (now deceased) and Rex Mc Kay advocated for Berbice to be given more votes in the parent body.. at that time the entire Berbice was treated like a Club such as GCC, DCC, Maltenoes, et al. Mortimer George who served as secretary of the BCB for a number of years has written two books on the BCB highlighting achievement of the Board and for producing outstanding cricketers like Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Joe Soloman, Roy Fredericks. Alvin Kalicharran.
The Medal of Service (MS) was bestowed on Foster by the coalition government. I think that the current administration should see it fit to elevate his award to an Arrow of Achievement (AA) or a CCH (Cacique Crown of Honour). This will be an encouragement to him as well as to other sports organizations.

Yours truly,
Oscar Ramjeet,

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