The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) conducted its Statutory Ordinary General Meeting on Sunday 29th June at the Georgetown Cricket Club Members Pavilion which was attended by only the Essequibo and Demerara delegates. Berbice Cricket Board once again failed to attend this most important General Members meeting.
The meeting was chaired by the GCB President, Drubahadur where some critical decisions were adopted on moving cricket forward in Guyana. The members were also updated on the status of the controversial Cricket Administration Bill. This Bill was the subject of wide ranging discussions between a high level delegation from its parent body, West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), and all three of the Parliamentary parties in separate meetings.
The team met with the Government delegation on both days whereby a consensus solution was hammered out by the parties present at the meetings. The GCB was also represented at these rounds of meetings and remains committed to a positive solution to this situation. The WICB is currently producing a Memorandum of Agreement with the agreed amendments to the Bill annexed thereto which will be signed off this week by all the pertinent stakeholders, the WICB, the GCB and the GOG.
The members present were briefed on the famous Pybus proposal for the reform of WI cricket and plans are rapidly moving apace in Guyana to implement the franchise system. The GCB is among the first of the territorial boards to already have its commercial arm set up, DEB Essential Organization Inc, since this would be the administrative institution for the implementation of this new system.
The Senior Selectors of the GCB has just shortlisted its squad and submitted same to the Executive Committee for approval and ratification. The GCB would be contracting 10 core players who would be given permanent contracts for a specific period and would be remunerated at very attractive packages. The remaining players would be entered into the Regional draft pool from which all the Territorial Boards would be bidding competitively for the remainder of the squad to be contracted by the respective Boards.
It is important to note that it is very likely that Guyanese players can be bought by other territories and players of other nationalities can be bought by Guyana. This system is designed to develop the best teams for all the territories and would entail the players having to relocate should they be bought by another Board other than their home boards. This proposal will be funded by the WICB and it is considered to be most exciting and rewarding for these players, cricket development and West Indies cricket.
The WICB cricket season will now commence in November until May and will have both the Regional 4 day and the Super 50 tournament as double rounds for all the teams thus ensuring more cricket is played in the Caribbean.
Delegates also discussed and approved plans to establish National Leagues for Secondary and Primary Schools’ Cricket using the school district system.
The Board approved some donations to first division Clubs in Berbice and will be making these presentations on Thursday to the Clubs at the Albion Community Centre ground. East Bank Demerara Clubs at Farm, Providence and Bayrock will also receive reasonable donations for various developmental projects at their venues, while the Area Committees in Essequibo will get direct financial help and cricket balls to assist in their cricket programmes.
The OGM approved funding for the completion of the practice facilities at the Anna Regina hostel and general maintenance works at that facility. Plans are also in place to construct an all weather practice facility at the Albion Sports Complex very shortly.
Funding for all these plans would be provided by the WICB and the GCB coffers.