West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje and Lower Corentyne receive grass cutters

…Danesh Challitar honoured as BCB/Brian Ramphal Father of the Year 2021

The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) last week continued its historic Grounds Enhancement Programme by distributing a total of 16 grass cutters to clubs in the West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje and Lower Corentyne areas.
The BCB had earlier in June launched the special project by handing over five grass cutters to the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA) as the proactive Board strives to expand its off-field activities in the absence of cricket tournaments owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
BCB President Hilbert Foster and Secretary Angela Haniff met with the clubs at three specially-arranged ceremonies to hand over the cutters and to urge them to take proper care of the equipment. Noting that the Board was investing heavily in the clubs’ development, Foster stated that management at the club level needed to be more responsible and more accountable.

The Grounds Enhancement Programme, the BCB President noted, was in response to the regular complaint that clubs have no access to grass-cutting equipment and most times were unable to properly prepare their venues. The BCB, he stated, hopes to restart its cricket season in August after the current rainy season is over and expressed confidence that the cutters would play a major role in assisting clubs to prepare for the start of the season. Foster advised the clubs that they have to share the cutters with other clubs and to make sure that they were being used for the intended purpose and not for any private work. Among the clubs benefiting were Achievers CC, Bath CC, Cotton Tree CC, Bush Lot United, Edinburgh, East Bank Blazers, Tucber Park, Rose Hall Canje, Kendall Union, Whim, Port Mourant, Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, Fyrish, and Kildonan. The BCB has to date bought and distributed 21 of the cutters, and Foster committed to obtaining several more before the start of the season. Special thanks were extended to overseas-based donor Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh for his continued assistance to the BCB, Jason Sripal of J Supermarket and Kris Jagdeo for their assistance towards the project, the first of its kind in the history of the BCB.
Meanwhile, the Board continued its packed list of activities by honouring Dhanesh Challitar of the Upper Corentyne area as its Brian Ramphal Father of the Year 2021. Challitar is the father of a youth cricketer from the area and is highly respected for his outstanding work to develop the game in the Crabwood Creek area.

UCCA Vice President Sydney Jackman stated that the sub-association was very proud of the fact that both Mother and Father of the Year awardees for the BCB were residents of the area, and highlighted the emphasis that the Board was placing on the development of cricket in Upper Corentyne. He congratulated Challitar on his achievement and urged him to continue to be a role model parent and mentor to every youth he works with. An emotional Challitar stated that he was humbled to be honoured and committed himself to the continued development of the game in Berbice. The greatest achievement in life, he said, a man can achieve is to mould his children into productive members of society while being their role model and mentor. UCCA executives led by President Dennis Andrade handed over the prize package, which included a framed certificate of excellence, a medal of excellence, and two special prizes. The programme was sponsored by long-time BCB sponsor Brian Ramphal.