The executives of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) yesterday expressed grief on the sudden passing of their treasurer, Pretipaul Jaigobin.
According to a release from the GCB, Jaigobin was reportedly travelling from Mahdia to the Ministry of Finance after completing a COVID-19 assignment when the accident occurred.
The release pointed out that Jaigobin was an Economic and Financial Analyst with the European Union Task Force Unit of that Ministry.
“Jai, as he was popularly known, was well liked and respected; his congeniality, humility and sense of humour endeared him to many. Pretipaul had been an active and trusted Cricket Administrator for over twenty (20) years with a vast knowledge of the game especially in relation to cricket records and statistics. His contribution to the deliberations and decisions at cricket meetings especially on financial issues and effective governance were invaluable. Jai had a special affinity for youth cricket. His professional approach helped in the stimulation of affirmative action in cricket administration. He was constantly looking at ways to improve the accounting and marketing procedures,” the release stated.
“He had previously served on the GCB as the Assistant Treasurer during the period 2009 to 2011. In May 2011, shortly after a particularly tumultuous meeting of the GCB Executive Committee, he was badly burnt with acid by an unknown assailant and spent forty-two (42) days in the Georgetown Hospital,” the release added.
The two organisations remember Jaigobin as “a stalwart and contributed immensely during the long struggle for accountability and legality at both the GCB and the DCB.”
In February of this year, he was elected treasurer of the DCB at the court-supervised elections of that board. On March 29, 2021 he was elected treasurer of the GCB at the elections convened by the Cricket Ombudsman in accordance with the Guyana Cricket Administration Act, No. 14 of 2014.
“It is sadly ironic that Jai died just after so much was achieved after that long struggle.
“Pretipaul’s passing is a tremendous loss to the wider cricket fraternity. It is with heartfelt grief that the Executives of the GCB and the DCB and the staff members extend sincere sympathy to his family, relatives and friends. Please be assured that our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time of bereavement,” the release ended.
