– calls it a day as BCB President
– says he has no hard feelings against those who voted against him as CWI Director
By Brandon Corlette
Having been replaced as Cricket West Indies Director and stepped down as Vice President of the Guyana Cricket Board, Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) boss Hilbert Foster is set to resign from the presidency of the BCB as well. His resignation would take effect from July 31, 2022.
Foster made this an official announcement on Sunday last at the BCB awards ceremony.
Current BCB President Hilbert Foster, Former CWI Director and former GCB Vice-President
“My third term as President of the BCB is supposed to end on December 31, 2023, but, sadly, I submitted my resignation to the executives of the BCB effective July 31, 2022. The BCB executives have rejected it, but I have had enough. My future is with my family, my church, my club, and to be honest, to prepare for old age,” he declared.
“I want to make quite clear that the BCB under my leadership has never tried to sabotage anyone, or to work against the best interest of our cricket. I want to thank Minister Charles Ramson for his support at the national level, and (I want to thank) the thousands of persons who supported me,” Foster said.
He added: “the BCB has rejected my offer, and it still stands. It is my sincere hope that the BCB starts preparing someone to take on August 1. My baby is the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club. This year we were knocked out of two competitions, which we should not have. I don’t have the time with my club because I have to rush behind BCB. We were knocked out of the U-15 and U-17, never happen in 31-year history, and my priority is with that club.”
Although Foster has served as a Cricket West Indies (CWI) Director for only a year, the news of his replacement in that body has shocked many. Foster has said he holds no personal grudge against those who voted against him remaining CWI Director.
“I have no ill feelings, no hatred, for those who voted to remove me as a Director of CWI. I want to express thanks to everyone who has allowed me to serve one year, and I think I did that to the best of my abilities. I wish the Guyana Cricket Board all the best, especially the new President and the new Director.
“I wish the GCB all the success in the future, and they will always have my full support. It is not about Hilbert Foster, it is about our young people,” Foster said in an emotional speech.
He also noted that, for the sake of youth development, prayers are required for the success of the GCB.
On March 26, 2022, Foster was replaced by Deleep Singh as a CWI Director. Singh is President of the Essequibo Cricket Board, and according to a GCB release, “Mr. Singh’s election to the position of CWI Director is in keeping with a traditional practice that seeks to alternate director selection. Singh is the first Essequibian to hold this prestigious position of CWI Director since Mr. Beni Sankar some 25 years ago.
