A billboard honouring seventeen Guyanese cricketers from the Ancient County of Berbice was recently unveiled by ANSA McAl Trading and officially handed over to the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB).
The billboard displays the pictures and names of Berbice cricketers who represented the West Indies at the Test level from 1948 to 2012.
Port Mourant was the chosen site for the billboard (located beside the public road near the National Ophthalmology Centre) because seven of the seventeen West Indies cricketers came from the Port Mourant Cricket Club.
At the simple ceremony, Hilbert Foster project coordinator and BCB PRO, said that when he approached ANSA McAl, they “readily agreed” to the project. He noted that some difficulties had delayed the initial production of the billboard. This ended up being a good thing since two other cricketers – Assad Fudadin and Veerasammy Permaul were able to be added to the list. He stated that the objectives of the billboard were to honour the achievements of Berbicians who played at the highest level and to educate the public about the heroes of Berbice cricket. Keith Foster, BCB President said he hopes that the youths of Berbice could look at the billboard and use it as inspiration to achieve their dreams. He thanked the trading company for the investment. In brief remarks, Darshanie Yussuf, Public Relations Officer of ANSA McAl disclosed that the project was part of the company’s 20th anniversary celebration activities. She said that the cricketers had represented Guyana at the highest level and this was to thank and recognise them for their talent.’ She also urged upcoming cricketers and athletes to put up their best foot forward because “when you do well your people and your country will recognize you for talent and we will support you.”
Godfrey Persaud, President of the Port Mourant Cricket Club and Vemen Walter Secretary of the Albion Cricket Club both lauded ANSA McAl for the initiative. Persaud noted that the veteran cricketers where ever they were would be proud to know that they were honoured.
The seventeen players on the board are: John Trim, Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Ivan Madray, Joe Solomon, Alvin Kallicharran and Mahendra Nagamootoo from Port Mourant; Sewdat Shivnarine, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Narsingh Deonarine, Devendra Bishoo, and Veerasammy Permaul from Albion; Roy Frederick and Brendon Bess from Blairmont; Leonard Baichan from Rose Hall Canje; Clayton Lambert from Bermine and Assad Fudadin from Rose Hall Town.
