Cricket fraternity saddened at passing of Pretipaul Jaigobin

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB); Berbice Cricket Board (BCB); Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) and Albion Community Centre Cricket Club (ACCC) have expressed their condolences at the passing of Pretipaul Jaigobin, who was recently elected Treasurer of the GCB and served as Economic Advisor and Financial Analyst, attached to the Finance Ministry.

Below is the joint message from the GCB and DCB:
It was with profound sorrow that the staff and the recently-elected Executives of both the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) learnt of the vehicular accident on Thursday, April 1, 2021 that resulted in the tragic death of Pretipaul Jaigobin, the Treasurer of both Boards.
Pretipaul was reportedly travelling from Mahdia to the Ministry of Finance after completing a COVID-19 assignment when the accident occurred. He was an Economic and Financial Analyst of the European Union Task Force Unit of that Ministry.

Jai, as he was popularly known, was well liked and respected; his congeniality, humility and sense of humour endeared him to many. Pretipaul had been an active and trusted cricket administrator for over 20 years with a vast knowledge of the game, especially in relation to cricket records and statistics.
His contributions to the deliberations and decisions at cricket meetings, especially on financial issues and effective governance were invaluable. Jai had a special affinity for youth cricket. His professional approach helped in the stimulation of affirmative action in cricket administration. He was constantly looking at ways to improve the accounting and marketing procedures.
He had previously served on the GCB as the Assistant Treasurer during the period 2009 to 2011. In May 2011, shortly after a particularly tumultuous meeting of the GCB Executive Committee, he was badly burnt with acid by an unknown assailant and spent 42 days in the Georgetown Hospital.
Jai was a stalwart and contributed immensely during the long struggle for accountability and legality at both the GCB and the DCB. In February of this year, he was elected Treasurer of the DCB at the court-supervised elections of that Board.
On March 29, 2021, he was elected Treasurer of the GCB at the elections convened by the Cricket Ombudsman in accordance with the Guyana Cricket Administration Act, No 14 of 2014. It is sadly ironic that Jai died just after so much was achieved after that long struggle.
Pretipaul’s passing is a tremendous loss to the wider cricket fraternity. It is with heartfelt grief that the Executives of the GCB and the DCB and the staff members extend sincere sympathy to his family, relatives, and friends. Please be assured that our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time of bereavement.

Below is the statement from BCB President and GCB Vice President Hilbert Foster:
He was the last person I spoke to as we departed the election venue on Monday last. His final words would always be in my memory; “travel safe my friend, we have so much work to do.” If I knew those were to be your final words to me, I would have stayed a little longer with you and cherished your presence a little longer. Losing you just after your dream was achieved, Jai, is very difficult and my knees felt weak when our President told me about your death.
I have a strong faith in God, but for a few seconds, I questioned why he took you away so soon when the journey had just started. I guessed he wanted a special angel in heaven to guide the process and to watch over us.
It was a privilege to know you. On Sunday, we spoke a long time before and after the elections. You had so many ideals to share with us and your input into our first executive meeting revealed a thinking, progressive … mind.
You suffered the most but despite your injuries. you never one day showed any passion for revenge. Rest in peace, my friend, and please watch down on us as we seek to fulfil your vision for Guyana cricket. You died while working for our country and the less fortunate.
On behalf of every one of us you left behind so soon, I want to assure you that we would work hard to make sure that Guyana cricket would rise to the top again and we would make sure that your memory would live on forever.
Thanks for the privilege of being a friend and we would all try to be role models to your kids in your absence. On behalf of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club and the Berbice Cricket Board, I would like to express our sympathies to his wife, children, and family. Please be assured of our love, friendship, and support during these difficult times. May the soul of Pretipaul Jaigobin rest in peace and rise in eternal glory with God.
The President, executives and members of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club also in a release expressed their deep sadness at the tragic death of Jaigobin, calling his passing very depressing.
“…. we at the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club would like to express our sincere condolences to his family, other relatives, the President and Executives of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and the Ministry of Finance. Although death is inevitable, it is never easy to lose a loved one; however, we must console ourselves that God knows the best and readjust our minds to embrace such situation.
We pray that God will comfort his family and loved ones during this very difficult period and may his soul Rest in Peace.”