Wed, Jul 15, 2026
Wed, Jul 15, 2026
GCB President promises to restore dilapidated Essequibo hostel
By Akeem Greene
The Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) hostel, located at Anna Regina, is expected to have a much-needed facelift, compliments of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB).
GCB President Bissoondyal Singh made the revelation on Saturday at the Imam Bacchus Library, as he addressed a gathering at the start of a three-day Coaches Development and High-Performance camp being hosted by the ECB.
Experienced Level III coach Keshava Ramphal heads the camp and is assisted by fellow Trinidadian Brendon Ramlal and Guyana Harpy Eagles Assistant Coach, Ryan Hercules.
“We visited the hostel and if you didn’t have a good stomach and mind, you would be in tears,” the GCB President bemoaned.
According to Singh, he was part of the GCB in 2009 and when they handed over the facility to the ECB “it was brand new, equipped with almost every single thing”, and now “everything is in total disaster.”
“What I promised the (ECB) President too, is that even though we are running with limited resources, as soon as we get the estimates to fix the roof of the hostel and other small amenities, the GCB is going to finance the fixing of that hostel.”
He also promised that after rehabilitation works are complete, the Board will give ECB a “brand new bowling machine.”
The GCB President also handed over cricket gear worth four million dollars to the ECB, and indicated it is to be “distributed equally across the committees that are enshrined in the Cricket Administration Act.”
“You can have the best vision, you can have the best intention, but if you don’t have great people or people who want to see it happen, it will never happen,” Singh said as he urged for a collaborative effort to develop the sport in the county.
Re-emphasising the board’s commitment to restarting school cricket, Singh said there will be an Academy in each county, and the National Academy, which comes under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, given cricket is named as one of the 12 core sport.
He also promised the return of inter-county cricket in Essequibo, noting, “Once the facility is there, I am going to ensure you have Inter-county”, and the start will be the upcoming Under-15 tournament.