Efforts being made to resuscitate billards in Berbice

Efforts are being made to resuscitate the sport of billards in Berbice.
Once a prominent pass time in the county of Berbice, fewer players are being attracted to billards in the county.
However, efforts are being made to revive the sport in the county which still has some very good players. At one time there were several club houses in Berbice with weekly competitions being held.
However, what was once a past time for many are just memories as tables are not available.

Daniel Singh Snr is spearheading efforts to resuscitate the sport in Berbice which he says is dying, but there is a huge challenge; there are limited tables available.
In fact, in the entire county there is just one available billards table located at Parway Hotel, New Amsterdam.
“This is the only active table in the entire Berbice,” Singh disclosed.
“Many of the tables that we used to play on like the Albion, Rosehall, Blairmont and Skeldon Estates, those tables are now trash; they have disbanded those tablets and throw them in the corner. We want to resuscitate the sport; there are a few lovers of the game still present in Berbice and we would like to revitalize billards in Berbice.”

Apart from the clubs which were formed at the sugar estate’s managers clubs there were a fee other tables around but they have all been destroyed.
Apart from the table at Parkway Hotel, New Amsterdam Prison Clud had a functioning billards table up to recently.
“Albion Estate had a fire the the two tables were burnt and Prison’s Club is being rehabilitated and as such the table is out of the club exposed to the weather – it has been there for about a year and a half. We don’t know if and whe they decide to put it back into the club if the table would be in a good condition,” Singh pointed out while noting that he has repeatedly asked authorities to protect the table which has been exposed to the weather.
Meanwhile, to resuscitate the sport, the Berbice players organised a tournament against a mixed team from Transport Sports Club and Guyana Football Club.
Berbice won 4 – 1.
Winning for the Berbice team were Carlton Agard, Brian Skeet, Daniel Singh Snr, Paul Bhadure and Rayman Kellawan.
Daniel Singh Jr. went down to Raymond Das to be the only ember of the Berbice team to have not won.
“We are trying to get more persons to be involved. We are a small nucleus of players and we are trying to establish a broader base. By exposing this game.e to the public, we are appealing to the youths to get them off on any illegal activity they may be involved in. This is a very rewarding game. It is a gentleman’s game and we as the old players would like to teach the younger folks,” Singh added.
Billards is also used by many as a form of exercise. It is said that a game of a hundred points, each player will walk about a mile, putting together the times they walk around the table to position themselves to strike the ball. (G-4)