With a reputation as one of Guyana’s most successful and well managed clubs, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) in Berbice yesterday continued the commemoration of its twentieth anniversary with the launching of the RHTYSC Review, at a ceremony held at the GT&T canteen, Hadfield Street.
The RHTYSC has over 300 sponsors and GT&T is said to be its biggest. The 48-page magazine documents some of the benevolent activities of the club from its 1990 conception to a cutoff point of May 2010.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder of the club, Hilbert Foster, expressed his profound admiration for the way the club has evolved.
He said that at the conception of the club, no one had forecast that it would become so successful.
Mainly a cricket-oriented club, the RHTYSC is also known for its compassionate donations to many in need as well as its production of most of Guyana’s prominent cricket players.
The RHTYSC has also produced some of Guyana’s national cricket players, including Erva Giddings, Tremayne Smartt and Guyana’s current top female cricketer Shemaine Campbell. In addition the club was the launching pad for Royston Crandon, Esuan Crandon, and Assad Fudadin, all of whom are currently in South Africa representing Guyana at the Airtel Champions League.
In his address, Foster admitted that while persons would enquire about what was behind the massive success of the club, it was a question he could not answer. But he said he believes that whatever the reason, hard work, honesty and discipline were key components.
“I’ve seen clubs with dozen of staff and bars, that don’t make it, so how we do these things I don’t know,” Foster remarked.
Foster said he believes other clubs are getting too sidetracked from their objectives, focusing more on inconsequential issues rather than the things that matter, like the players and the sport.
Pleading with the rogue institutions to reconcile their agenda, Foster said, “Your job is not to yourself. It is just so embarrassing to see this fighting always going on in the higher associations, while I am just a chairman of a simple committee that has done so much. So please let’s stop this fighting. I am not attacking anybody, I don’t make enemies, but it just bleeds my heart to know that we are working so hard in Berbice and the rest of Guyana is in such a state.”
Also taking to the podium was the president of the Georgetown Cricket Association, Roger Harper, who spoke of his respect for the club’s development.
“I have been associated with the RHTYSC since its inception, and was made an honorary member of the club. But it never occurred to me then that this club would blossom into the club that it is on the whole, in this day and age when our leaders have lost sight of what their objectives are,” Harper said.
Foster recalled an initial donation made by Harper that propelled the initiation of the club.
Also making an address was Vice President of the Guyana Cricket Board, Bissoondyal Singh, who commended the club for upholding their motto: “In pursuit of Excellence” in everything that they did.
Describing the club as a “prestigious” one, Singh noted that the club was indeed a model for all others to follow, and congratulated Foster on his leadership.
“I have to point out the quality of the club, even though they operate so far out of the capital area. I would wish for other clubs in Guyana to emulate this model. Very often in cricket administration most of the work is voluntary, and the work that Mr Foster has done he must be commended,” Singh said.
At the end of the presentation, copies of the magazine were shared out to all of those in attendance.
