GCB, Minister Ramson meet on budgetary interests for 2023 competitions

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has met with the Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport (MCYS), Charles Ramson Jr, to discuss the GCB’s budget for cricket competitions for 2023.
Their engagement took place on Friday, February 10, 2023 at the Conference Room of the MCYS, and has been described as essential, since the Marketing Committee of the GCB continues to valiantly seek secure, sustainable sponsorship for several competitions for 2023 and onwards.
The MCYS delegation comprised Minister Charles Ramson; Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle; and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Kashif Muhammad.
The GCB was represented by President Bissoonyal Singh, Public Relations Officer (PRO) Clarence Brotherson, Territorial Development Officer (TDO) Colin Stuart, Asst Territorial Development Officer Anthony D’Andrade, and TDO Administrative Assistant Kavita Yadram.
After President Singh had given the overview, he invited the TDO to lead the presentation on the budgetary considerations for cricket training and competitions for 2023; and the TDO gave a comprehensive presentation that was ably supported by the Assistant Development Officer and the TDO Administrative Assistant.
The GCB’s Strategic Plan for 2023 was outlined in relation to the players’ development through competitive activities of training and competition, which inevitably carried a mammoth cost.
Minister Charles Ramson has commended the GCB for their efforts to develop, administer, and promote cricket in Guyana to the extent that the GCB continues to produce players of the highest quality for Guyana and the West Indies. He indicated that the Government of Guyana and its affiliate Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport continue to examine purposeful and realistic ways of developing and promoting sports, in this instance cricket in Guyana.
Minister Ramson, mentioned the need for effective implementation, and indicated that the MCYS is interested in knowing the source of funding, given the enormous cost of effectively executing the planned cricket competitions for 2023.
He indicated the MCYS’ commitment through support of the GoG to make a substantial contribution to the funding of the national under-19 tournaments for 2023; and also indicated that the U19 stage is a critical development area, capable of providing the proficient transition of talented players from youth to senior-level cricket.
In this regard, GoG and MCYS would provide realistic funding support for under-19 school cricket, a national inter-club tournament, and the GCB’s inter-county tournaments of Super 50 and Three-Day matches.
Further, the Minister mentioned that the GCB is expected to utilise the improved weather conditions to run off several of its activities.
The GoG and MCYS are working assiduously to provide grounds with facilities that support play in more rainy weather conditions. The Minister mentioned that the GCB budgets must be realistic, and would be subject to approval after careful analysis, a process the GCB has been invited to participate in, after the competition of the main Mashramani celebration activities.
President Bissoonyal Singh has been high in praise of Minister Charles Ramson, the MCYS, and the GoG. Singh remarked, “Funding is not always easy to obtain, especially when one is exploring ways to secure sustainable funding for both training and competitions. We, the GCB, will like to thank GoG, MCYS and you, Minister Ramson, for taking the initiative to support the GCB in such a big way. We agree that the under-19 tournament is an essential cricket development pathway, and we welcome the considerations put forward by you to substantially support the funding of our under-19 national competitions.”