Dear Editor,
There is sufficient evidence to conclude that the cricketers in Essequibo do not conform to a proper work ethic as it relates to training and respect for authority. This, however, is something that they would have inherited from their predecessors. In today’s competitive world athletes must be equipped both mentally and physically, and must continue to achieve new heights consistently.
This notwithstanding, Essequibo remains a conundrum because of the abundance of unharnessed talent, resembling the untapped oil reserves offshore Corentyne. However nothing will eliminate the continued failure of Essequibo teams if there is no serious exploration for expertise capable of inspiring our cricketers to professionalism and competence.
And that entails both administrative and technical staff who are independent and decisive in their thinking.
The Essequibo Cricket Board cannot continue to operate in isolation, or even ignorance, given the situation that currently exists whereby the affiliated members are displaying mixed signals.
It is a worrying situation that will further decimate the Board and by extension the future of the cricketers, most notably Ransford Beaton, Norman Fredericks, Ricardo Adams, Anthony Adams, Herell Greene, etc, all of whom have already represented Guyana at varying levels and who are also relatively young.
It is indeed tragic that the ECB to date cannot find common ground to have the practice facility at its hostel operational after three years, nor does it have the will to identify special talent that will give the coaches who are competent the inspiration to assemble winning combinations.
Instead the ECB is riddled with administrative strife, poor communication and an inability to generate sponsorship in a sustained way for the much-needed camps and related competitions to select inter-county teams.
These are uncharted waters for the ECB, and reflect the precarious state of cricket in Guyana. In fact the cricketers and members are daily being overwhelmed with conspiracy theories.
There are more questions than answers as to the way forward for Essequibo’s cricket, given the hostile operational environment, yet there must be a firm commitment from the current elected officials to transform the situation into one of cohesiveness and inclusivity, with a policy framework and good governance.
It is not business as usual and the current situation is gradually becoming untenable off the field, and together with the on-field debacle will lead to damage beyond redemption.
This is not the healthy state that the cricketers would have yearned for.
The rainy season has also helped to ensure that the grounds remain unplayable, clubs go into recess, players become overweight and intolerant and the game is transformed into a farce. This situation has plagued Essequibo for decades, and even the nicely constructed hostel is not utilised for cricketing camps or remedial work during this time.
It is a travesty that goes beyond comprehension and modern-day sports development practices.
It is time that the relevant stakeholders realize the seriousness of cricket in Essequibo and join with their counterparts to build a better future for cricketers, so they produce more cricketers at the national level and even for the West Indies.
The dawn of a new era of cricket administration in Guyana must also be reflected within the ECB if cricket in Essequibo is to make a quantum leap showing some degree of success at the inter-county level.
Yours faithfully,
Elroy Stephney
