The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) last Sunday hosted its Ordinary General Meeting for the third quarter at the Port Mourant Cricket Ground. The meeting was attended by all members, apart from Young Warriors CC and Mt Sinai CC, and was conducted in a calm and cordial atmosphere, which has become the norm at all BCB meetings.
BCB President Hilbert Foster
Delegates approved minutes of the last OGM, and expressed satisfaction that all plans unveiled and promised were all fulfilled, including the visits by several legendary West Indies former players, distribution of gear across the county, and an expansion of the board’s developmental programme.
Delegates unanimously rejected a resignation letter from BCB President Hilbert Foster, which was to go into effect on July 31. Foster told the packed hall that he was willing to step aside, as he did not want Berbice cricket to suffer because of his presence when he seems to be a target of the national board.
All of the delegates informed the BCB President that they have full confidence in his vision, honesty, passion and commitment, and they had no plan to change their mind that he had to stay.
They recalled that when Foster and his team took over cricket in the county, it was at the lowest level, and today it is the envy of every board in the region, and has a remarkable set of achievements and activities.
Under Foster’s leadership, over twenty players at all levels have either played for the West Indies or been called to training camps.
A series of ambitious developmental programmes have also unearthed numerous cricketing talent, which has secured the game in the region.
Delegates also told non-Berbicians to stop their targeting of the board, and warned that they would never forgive or forget those who seek to destroy the progress that not only benefits the county, but also Guyana and the West Indies.
Foster, Treasurer Rovin Bahadur, and Secretary Angela Haniff provided comprehensive reports to the OGM, and they were all accepted and approved unanimously. The BCB President also unveiled several major programmes that would be hosted shortly. He informed the attentive audience of the hosting of a county-wide coaching programme for secondary schools, the setting up of a kiddies’ Academy of Excellence, overseas scholarships for Berbice cricketers, gear for schools, and the hosting of four mini academies during the summer holidays.
The first academy was held last weekend in West Berbice, and was hailed as a huge success, with close to fifty youths in attendance. Foster announced that every secondary school in the county would shortly receive a donation of gear, uniforms and cricket balls from the BCB, with assistance from overseas-based Lochan Samkarran.
The BCB would also publish more copies of its historic coaching manual and youth information booklet for free distribution to every youth player in the county. The BCB also announced that the county-wide 40 overs round robin tournament would start shortly, after final blessings were obtained from the sponsor for a $1.7M deal.
The tournament would be contested by over ninety teams divided into five zones – West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje, Lower Corentyne, Berbice River, and Upper Corentyne. The BCB President also announced that that former national under-19 player Orvin Mangru would be sponsoring a county-wide under-19 tournament. The sponsorship would also cover the cost of balls and transportation.
Present at the meeting were representatives of Berbice River Cricket Association, West Berbice Cricket Association, Upper Corentyne Cricket Association, Bermine, Rose Hall Canje, Mental CC, Chesney, Whim, RHTY&SC, Kildonan, Port Mourant, Blairmont and Albion. Absent were Mt Sinai and Young Warriors CC.
