No place for laziness in 2021, Foster tells BCB executives

President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), Hilbert Foster, is urging his fellow executives to rededicate themselves to the task of taking Berbice Cricket to another level.

The plea was made during remarks at a special BCB/Brian Ramphal Awards Programme to honour former West Indies opener Clayton Lambert and several other Berbice senior players recently.

Foster praised the support he has received from his executives, but noted that much more work remains to be done and that it would require a collective team effort.

He warned that there would be no place for laziness and executives must perform to their best ability once they accept the position.

Foster, who took over a cricket board in turmoil, told the attentive gathering that over the last two years much has been achieved, but more work has to be done in the future. He used the opportunity to unveiled his administration’s plans for 2021.

Among them are the hosting of 30 cricket tournaments at the Under-13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23 and also internal Zone, Intermediate, Double Wickets, Schools, Female and First Division levels.

The tournaments would include the historic Semi-Professional League and two-day First Division, along with a 20/20 and 40-over tournament in each of the five sub zones- Berbice River, Upper Corentyne, New Amsterdam/Canje, Lower/Central Corentyne and West Berbice.

Special emphasis would also be placed on coaching across the county, especially one on one sessions with some of the most talented junior players.

Two hundred youths would benefit from donations of cricket gear, bicycles, cricket uniforms, educational materials, while two more University of Guyana scholarships would be offered to cricketers.

The BCB would also be working to obtain a wide array of coaching equipment, a grass cutter and upgrading its New Amsterdam office even more. Every functioning cricket club would receive cricket balls, the Berbice Cricket Academy would be hosted in July, while smaller ones would be held in Upper Corentyne (Scottsburg) and West Berbice (Bush Lot).

Other major plans include the continuation of the Financial Scheme for Youth/Female national players, Inter-county cap system, Inter-county MVP programme and Inter-county Man-of-the-Match system.

A 40-page magazine, highlighting the top 40 Berbice players, would be published, and the board would be working along with the Ministry of Sport to improve some of the cricket grounds in the county while an indoor practice centre would be built in Region Five.

The BCB expects to work along with the Ministry of Labour to host skills training sessions for school dropout cricketers and also work together in a massive Say No to Child Labour/Child Abuse programme for Berbicians.

Foster expressed confidence that Minister of Sport Charles Ramson Jr. would fulfill his promise to assist the BCB with two full time coaches and provide sponsorship for some cricket tournaments.

Foster stated that more developmental plans would be disclosed in the future as sponsorship is secured.

One of the BCB’s main objectives in 2021 would be to reduce administrative expenses by obtaining major sponsorships for internet access, a photocopier for the office, meals for finals, trophies for finals and medals, while solar lights would be installed at the board office to cut down on electric bills.