5 outstanding Berbicians honoured as RHTYSC, MS hosts 6th Annual Ansa Mcal Award of Excellence

Five outstanding Berbicians with a combined one hundred and forty years of Service to the development of Guyana were honoured on Friday last when the ten cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club (RHTYSC), MS hosted the sixth Edition of the Ansa Mcal Award of Excellence. Those honoured were Maureen Bynoe “Educator”, Ravindranauth Kissoonlall “Community Development”, Patricia Tyndall-Park “Health”, Michael De Souza “Sports’ and Shondelle Phillips “Culture”.

RHTYSC, MS Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster stated that the Ansa Mcal Award of Excellence was the second highest award of Guyana’s leading youth and sports club after its Dolphin Award of Excellence. The veteran youth leader spoke of the need of honouring heroes in their lifetime as it was important for them to know that they are appreciated and special.
The main objectives of the Award are to identify and honour heroes in Berbice, to present role models for youths to emulate and to promote the importance of service to Guyana. The Awardees each year are selected by a panel of experienced judges headed by veteran Television News Editor Gregory Rambarran based on the recommendations of members.
Special emphasis was placed on the nominated person, committment to Guyana, personal discipline, length of professional service and role model status to youths. Foster, stated that one of the RHTYSC main objective is to make sure that no hero in Berbice goes unrecognized as Guyana has a well known tradition of letting outstanding individual feels unappreciated.
Bynoe, a University of Guyana Lecturer at the Tain Campus has had an outstanding career as an educator. She has assisted the mould of minds of thousands of youths who have gone on to serve Guyana at several levels. Ms. Patricia Tyndall-Park is a dedicated and highly professional nurse at the Port Mourant Hospital.
Doctor in Charge Dr. Devindra Rahday recommended her to the Awards Committee based on her high standard of work in serving the sick over a long period. Michael De Souza, currently serves as the Secretary (ag) of the Berbice Football Association and over three decades has dedicated himself to promoting sports to youths especially in the Upper Corentyne Area. Shondelle Phillips, an educator with three decades’ experience was recognised for her dedication to the promotion of Culture in the Ancient County.
A former Deputy Headmistress of the New Amsterdam Secondary School now attached at the Vryman’s Erven Secondary. Ms. Phillips is credited to educating thousands of students on the strong cultural history of Guyana and the promotion of traditional activities for the six races of Guyana. Ravindranauth Kissoonlall is a founding member of the RHTYSC, MS and has played a major role in transforming the Club from a humble birth into Guyana’s best.
He currently serves as the RHTYSC Organising Secretary and Head of its successful Cricket department. Kissoonlall has been actively involved in thousands of activities of the Club and is widely respected for being one of the cornerstone of the success over the last twenty-nine years. Each of the Awardees received a framed Certificate of Excellence, Trophy, Medal and a special gift. Regional Manager for Berbice Mark Bhikhai praised the outstanding work of the RHTYSC and stated that Ansa Mcal was pleased to be associated with the honouring of outstanding Berbicians.