President of the East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) and Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Bissoondyal Singh, met with member clubs of the ECCB from Ogle to Abary recently at the La Bonne Intention Cricket Facility where a number of key issues were discussed.
According to a release from the board, this meeting was the first in a planned series of outreach programmes.
The release indicated, “President Singh reported that early in 2021 both the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) held long-overdue elections in accordance with the Guyana Cricket Administration Act 2014. The East Coast Cricket Board is one of the five constituent members of the DCB.”
Singh, informed the meeting that the National COVID-19 Task Force had instructed that all cricket activities be suspended.
Permission from the Task Force to resume cricket was recently received.
He noted that there are two ECCB competitions to be completed, after which new competitions will commence and that a number of sponsors are already on board including Rockaway Group of Companies of New York and Motor Trend.
Additionally, the Elizabeth Styles Cricket Competition will be expanded.
This is expected to be an exciting tournament since these teams comprised of many talented players.
Singh explained that cricketers, officials and spectators will have to be fully vaccinated as a prerequisite for involvement in cricket activities.
Heading the list of competitions is the President of Guyana, Dr Mohamad Irfan Ali’s ‘Corridor of Unity Trophy’ competition.
The corridor is from Lusignan to Golden Grove and the clubs are Lusignan Cricket Club, Buxton ‘Carl Hopper’ Cricket Club, Enterprise ‘Busta’ Cricket Club, Paradise Cricket Club, Enmore Community Centre Cricket
Singh stated that the ECCB will be staging competitions in the U-15, U-17 and U-19 categories as well as first and second-division cricket.
He urged the clubs to commence preparation for these competitions.
“The senior clubs were encouraged to field teams at all age levels and to include female cricket in their development plans. Additionally, first-division clubs in the five associations of the DCB will, for the first time, have the opportunity to play in an all-inclusive cricket competition,” the release stated.
The correspondence highlighted, “As a conciliatory approach to cricket governance on the East Coast, President Singh indicated that the East Coast Cricket Committee (ECCC) will be absorbed into the ECCB and that some of the ECCC committee members will be invited to serve on sub-committees of the ECCB. In this regard, a meeting will be held shortly.”
Singh added that the ECCB’s Academy will be expanded and urged the clubs to be more aggressive as it relates to getting the youngers involved.
The GCB head stated that this will be a challenge.
“If we are going to succeed then it is important that we make the ultimate sacrifice as administrators to deliver, Guyana’s children is depending on us and we must deliver,” he said.
At the end of the meeting Singh thanked the members for attending what was a highly successful meeting. He asked for the continued support and cooperation to ensure the progress of development of cricket on the East Coast of Demerara.
