Dear Editor,
As a matter of principle, I do not waste my busy time with people who are more interested in negative thinking than in working to make a positive difference. I have, however, to respond to Mr Rishee Thakur’s letter which appeared in the Stabroek News edition of August 16, under the caption ‘Upper Corentyne Association has been unable to find out the mandate of the IMC.‘
Editor, I have been actively involved in Berbice Cricket via the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club for over two decades and I have never been aware of Mr Thakur’s involvement in cricket in any capacity. As Public Relations Officer of the Berbice Cricket Board and Chairman of the very active Special Events Committee I have never been aware that an Upper Corentyne Cricket Association existed. Just in case I was wrong, I contacted numerous clubs in the area, including the Skeldon Community Centre on August 16, 2012 to enquire if the association existed and if so what activities it was involved in. The answer I got from the very active cricket official in the Upper Corentyne area was a resounding “No,” and all of them were shocked to learn that Mr Thakur had stated that the group existed. I invite your newspaper to do the same via your Berbice reporter, and I am 100% confident that the result would be the same.
The point of my letter is to respond to a section of Mr Thakur’s letter which stated that “To silence and exclude the BCB took the extraordinary step to form another Upper Corentyne Cricket Association by visiting the Upper Corentyne Chamber and pleading for financial help and organisational support.” Editor, the Berbice Cricket Board cannot form “another” Upper Corentyne Cricket Association because in the first place none existed. I am shocked and totally dismayed at the statement by Mr Thakur because the idea of establishing a relationship between all of the Chambers of Commerce in Berbice and the Berbice Cricket Board was my idea in my capacity as Chairman of the Special Events Committee.
The Berbice Cricket Board was represented by the treasurer Anil Beharry and myself at the meeting with the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, and the meeting was centred on sponsorship for coaching programmes for clubs, along with Inter-secondary School, Under-15, 20/20 and three-day tournaments in the area. This is part of the Berbice Cricket Board’s effort to improve cricket in the Upper Corentyne. The executives of the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce can confirm that no discussion took place on the formation of another “Association,” nor did we seek the Chamber’s organisational support.
The one-hour discussion also involved the Chamber members being informed of the Berbice Cricket Board‘s plans for the future, while we also answered queries on Berbice cricket. It must be noted that a similar meeting was held with the Berbice Chamber of Commerce before the Upper Corentyne meeting, and another will be held in the near future with the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce with the sole purpose of getting the business sector involved in developing Berbice cricket.
The Berbice Cricket Board and the Upper Corentyne Chamber also held a one hour television call-in programme for residents in the Upper Corentyne area to update on the Board’s plans for them. Residents were very supportive of the plans and the Berbice Cricket Board is committed to fulfilling our promises to them as soon as the weather improves.
Editor, I do not know Mr Thakur and I have no interest in knowing him, but he should stick to the facts. People who work with me know fully well that I have no time for petty actions and my only interest is the development of youths via sports and education. The record of achievements over the years at the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club and Berbice Cricket Board speak for themselves. Mr Rishee Thakur owes me, my honourable colleague Mr Anil Beharry, the Berbice Cricket Board and the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce an apology for his libellous statement.
Yours faithfully,
Hilbert Foster
Secretary/CEO
RHTYSC
