BCB honours Jerry Karim as Brian Ramphal 2020 Father of the Year

The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) last Saturday honoured Jerry Karim of Blairmont Village as its Brian Ramphal Father of the Year as the active cricket board continues to undertake activities off the cricket field given the coronavirus shutdown of all sporting activities.

Karim is the father of Javed Karim, the Captain of the Blairmont First-Division team. Javed has represented Guyana at the Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 levels and also plays for West Berbice in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Franchise League.
BCB President Hilbert Foster, MS, handed over the award to the proud father and stated that Karim was a role-model parent who should be emulated across Guyana. Foster stated that every year, the BCB under his leadership honours a special mother and father in recognition of the outstanding work they do in the development of their children’s lives. The programme started when Foster was Chairman of the BCB Special Events Committee under the presidency of his elder brother, Keith Foster.
The awardee is selected based on personal discipline, role-model status as a parent, support of their child’s career and support of Club/BCB activities. Foster urged Karim to uphold the high standards he has set himself as a parent and to share his experience with the younger generation of parents. Noting that indiscipline and disrespect for authority were major problems in today’s society, the BCB President called on parents to instil the value of discipline into their children.
Foster also pledged that the BCB would work every day to make a positive difference in the life of every Berbician while fulfilling its mandate to uphold the high standards of Berbice cricket. He expressed frustration that the coronavirus lockdown has stopped numerous developmental programmes that the proactive BCB had in mind for 2020. These included a professional league tournament, cricket academy, award ceremony, coaching sessions, and the construction of an all-weather outdoor pitch. Foster expressed confidence that with all things being equal, Berbice would be back to normal in 2021.
In his remarks, Karim expressed gratitude to the BCB for honouring him, and stated that the Board was doing a remarkable job in the administration of the game in the Ancient County. The Father of the Year received a trophy, medal, Certificate of Excellence and a collection of gifts.