The leadership of the Beacon Football Club (BFC) has been commended by President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Wayne Forde, for its persistence in providing an avenue of hope, especially for youth players as the club celebrates its 35th anniversary as an entity.
Forde, who on behalf of the GFF made a donation of football equipment to the club on Saturday last at Burnham Court, commended former national captain, Gordon ‘Ultimate Warrior’ Braithwaite, for sticking with the club through the years since its formation.
Joining the officials and a few of the former senior players for BFC at the simple but significant activity was Proprietor of Beacon Café, Ramdeo Kumar, who has also committed to working towards seeing the retransformation of the club.
Whilst noting that quite often in Guyana’s football leadership is not necessarily found in the Executive Committee, Forde said it is rather found in the commitment to the goals of the game.
“And the goals of football are service to mankind, development of community, improvement of brotherly love and relationship and that leadership is embodied in Coach Gordon Braithwaite. He has been a punctuation mark in the journey of this club. He has given unselfishly and I want to commend him as a brother in football for what he has done.”
The former national Defender, Captain and Coach has been the main pillar of the club since its birth and continues to play a pivotal role in its continued existence. Braithwaite was encouraged by President Forde to never give up and to continue working with the club and its youths.
“This is a long journey and you have been in it much longer than I have been but your time in football is not yet come and there is so much more that you have to do. You can be assured that as far as is possible and as far as the grace of God allows, I will be there to support your work and the work the communities connected to this club so badly needs.”
The players who have contributed to the club over the years were commended by Forde, which include current national coach Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover, Andre Trotz, Nigel Denny and Julian ‘Beater’ Masdammer as well as the new generation of players who will carry the flag for years to come.
Kumar, in commending the club on its anniversary, informed that he has been a silent supporter of the club for quite some time and his vision is to ensure that the youths in the Parade Ground area play the game more consistently whilst noting that COVID-19 is the current challenge.
“We are going to be working closely with the Beacon FC to reorganise this club that has produced some really outstanding players for the country. We want to help move this club forward, it has been defunct to some extent so we want to now reorganise ourselves and focus towards bringing football back to Tiger Bay and the Kingston areas.”
Kumar noted that he is a product of Alexander Village/West Ruimveldt area and even spent some of his formative years in Albouystown so he can identify with some of the challenges faced by youths of the ghetto.
“I know the challenges of the ghetto and I know you can also rise from the ghetto and football is one of those means; sports in general is a bigger means but our focus in this case is football.”
President Forde committed the GFF and himself towards meeting with the leadership and executive of the BFC to help reshape and repurpose the club. He noted that apart from handing out the equipment that they have done, much more can be done.
“You have my commitment, once the engagement is established I will be willing to participate and to bring whatever support we can to make this facility here (Parade Ground) a permanent home and a wholesome space for football development and community engagement in the coming months and years.”
Braithwaite expressed gratitude to the GFF, President Forde and Mr. Kumar for their support noting that Beacon will once again be that guiding light for others to follow.
“I am proud today to know that we are thirty-five years old as a club and I am looking forward to our 70th anniversary. I can assure you Mr. President and everybody around here that these players will make sure we are one of the best clubs. We give all the thanks to God for us being here because God is the light of the club, the light of life and without God none of this would have been possible.” (GFF)
