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Limacol CPL – bigger and better in 2014...

...Guyana Amazon Warriors Chairman Dr R Ramroop

The Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL), and its local franchise, the Guyana Amazon Warriors, were the actors in one of the brightest success stories of 2013.

Guyana Times interviewed the chairman of NEW GPC INC, Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop, the owner of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, on the upcoming second year of the T20 tournament.

The tournament is being eagerly awaited with great enthusiasm by cricketing fans from Guyana, the West Indies, and across the rest of the world.

GT: Dr Ramroop, the inaugural Limacol T20 tournament was success beyond the wildest expectations of fans. Do you think this can be replicated in year two?

DR: “Replicated” means simply producing a copy of

the original. I’ll tell you what: this year’s Limacol CPL will be bigger and better in all respects that you’ve seen and then some. We will have new elements that will just blow the minds of fans.

GT: Can you give us an inkling?

DR: Well, we can’t spoil the surprise for the fans, can we? What I can say, it will all have to do with making the cricket experience even more exciting than it was last year. The West Indian brand of cricket is what T20 is all about. The entire cricketing world was blown away with the sample they saw last year. In 2014, we will create an ambiance that reflects the Caribbean experience even more. And to top it off, what I can promise is when we say “bigger and better”, for starters, there will be more more matches...many more.

GT: Well, let me ask you.

Is the Amazon Warriors going to have any new foreign players?

DR: Without any question! Last year, we were pretty much handed a team, to which we had to make some adjustment after personal injuries and so on. But this year, we’re going to have a much greater say in picking our team... starting with the draft in .... We think the local fans are the most knowledgeable in the world and would like fans to be sending in suggestions starting in January.

GT: Does this mean that you will be dropping some foreign players?

DR: It’s not so much a matter of “dropping” anyone as it is about the nature of international cricket. The schedule is such that there will always be some players who will not be available because of their domestic commitments.

GT: Can you give us the

name of someone the Amazon Warriors might be looking at?

DR: It would be premature at this time, but I can assure all our fans that we are aware of some gaps in our line-up that might have contributed to us not going all the way...and we’re going to plug those gaps! We will have a formidable foreign presence.

GT: What about the local players?

DR: Now, this is an area in which we are most interested – we are determined to build our local cricket resources. In fact, in addition to their individual skills, we look at our foreign players to impart their wider experience to our 11 local players.

GT: Last month, there was some talk about the NEWGPC/Limacol, owners of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, seeking to launch a sports academy in Guyana. Was this part of that “local” thrust?

“Limacol CPL, a big hit,”

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

“Abig

hit” is how former West Indies allrounder and coach of the Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise, Roger Harper, described the inaugural edition of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL), which took the Caribbean and beyond by storm during JulyAugust last.

In an exclusive interview, the 50-year-old, who led the Amazon Warriors to the runner-up spot against the Jamaica Tallawahs in the final, shared his thoughts on the 2013 tournament, which attracted massive crowds at venues across the region.

“I think it was an excellent tournament,” he said. “It certainly caught the public’s attention and the players also bought into it… it was a big hit all round,” he said.

Harper said he was im-

pressed that the organisers were able to “hit the ground running”, as the tournament was able to create an immediate impact on the cricket-loving Caribbean population.

2014

Looking ahead to the second instalment of the league in 2014, Harper said he is keen on having the franchises retain as many players as possible so as to have “continuity”, while he also advocated for larger squads to create more options for the team management. Each of the six franchises was afforded a total of 15 players during the first tournament.

“I’m not sure what will happen in terms of retaining players. That [retaining players] is important because you want to create a nucleus so as to build on what was achieved

in 2013,” Harper pointed out. “I also feel that the squads should be larger, so in the case of players becoming injured and others having to leave for other engagements, you have a wider pool to choose from.”

During the inaugural LCPL, the Amazon Warriors were set back by the departure

of a few players, namely allrounder Mohammad Hafeez, who had to join the Pakistan team, and New Zealand’s opening batsman Martin Guptill, who was forced out through injury.

They were later replaced by the Sri Lankan duo, opener Tillekeratne Dilshan and fast

DR: Absolutely! And we are determined to pursue our cricket/sport academy commitment, because as a professional organisation we cannot let the availability of our local cricketers be left to chance.

GT: Dr Ramroop, in your estimation, are there constraints you see in the way of the Limacol CPL fulfilling its goals?

DR: There are several. Firstly, as a Guyanese we’re counting on our country securing the rights to the semifinals. Last year, over US$25 million was pumped into Trinidad and Tobago's economy during those games. We want that money to come to Guyana.

Lastly, while not an actual constraint, we hope the Marriott Hotel will be completed in time for the next tournament in August to complement other hotels such as the Pegasus. The young, professional Guyanese from abroad are now demanding worldclass accommodation – and we must provide that to them.

GT: Finally, Dr Ramroop, what are your expectations for the Amazon Warriors in Year II?

DR: Last year, we went all the way to the finals. That was good...but not good enough. This year, with the improvements we will be making, the Warriors will be the winners of the Limacol CPL T20 cricket tournament!

Then there is the question of getting our numerous fans from New York, Florida, Toronto and elsewhere down to Guyana to witness our home games. We definitely need more airlines plying these routes. We’re counting on those routes being serviced, because we’ll be reserving a substantial bloc of seats for overseas visitors.

says Harper

Challenge

Looking deep into the future, and giving his thoughts on what he would like to see the LCPL evolve into, the former West Indies vice-captain and coach said the league must rise to become the best

T20 tournament in the world.

“The LCPL will have to look at the IPL [Indian Premier League] and aim to get close to that. It will be difficult to compete with the IPL, but that should be the aim… get as close as possible and challenge them for the title of best T20 league.”

Guyana Amazon Warriors coach Roger Harper (right) marshalling his troops during a training session last August during the Limacol CPL

bowler Lasith Malinga.

Tourism sector to exploit benefits of Limacol CPL in 2014 – now “flagship” tourism event in the region

By Michael younge

The government of Guyana said it would be working earnestly to exploit the benefits that can be derived from the second staging of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) in 2014, given its resounding success and contributions to national and regional tourism growth in 2013.

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali told Guyana Times on Monday that LCPL is now considered one of the flagship tourism events of the year.

“I think the LCPL is here to stay and the partnerships that it would have established across the region are good and were a resounding success, as there are tremendous economic and social benefits therein which far outweighs the investments made," he said.

He acknowledged the potential of the tournament to provide the greatest opportunities for sports tourism in Guyana, the region, and beyond.

“In 2013, though the tournament had a very short planning window, the benefits that it brought to the regional economy were indeed enormous. Guyana even benefited, additionally, by having one of its national products (Limacol) being the overall sponsor for the tournament,” he explained.

This development resulted in much attention and interest being generated about the country. As a result of LCPL, contact was made

with more than 30 million households, regionally and internationally, according to government estimates.

Guyana has received focused attention as an investment destination because of the opportunities offered to the rest of the world, Ali said.

“We are seeing investors and stakeholders from non-traditional areas outside of North America, from Asia, UK and Australia now having an interest in Guyana,” he said.

One needs not look far to see evidence that the entertainment and service sectors would have also benefited tremendously from the 2013 tournament.

Sharp increase in arrivals

Asked whether the LCPL tournament had a direct impact on arrivals, Minister Ali responded in the affirmative, explaining that during the tournament a sharp increase was recorded.

The minister noted that several hotels were fully booked, and entertainment hotspots and restaurants packed. Scores of Guyanese opted to return home, while many Caribbean Community (Caricom) citizens wanted to catch part of the action.

He said the event managed to create quite a stir in the diaspora because of the composition of the teams with the mixture of local, regional and international players, and the hype and party atmosphere associated with the league.

“In 2014, we are planning to have our own promotion in Guyana because of the interest in LCPL in the diaspora is

significant. We must tap into that area,” he stressed.

The minister said that attempts are being made to actively engage the LCPL on certain allowances to safeguard the participation from more persons in the diaspora.

“We will be discussing with the tournament organisers, an opportunity to have a specific number of tickets available directly to the diaspora so that we can have a more measurable approach to how many persons we bring in,” he said.

Access to tickets

As expected, Minister Ali, when asked to reflect on the challenges faced in hosting the LCPL tournament last year, pinpointed access to tickets as a challenge for some of the games.

Despite this, he said: “We are hoping to strategise our marketing and tourism plan around LCPL to ensure that we get into this market.”

The tourism minister said it was hoped too that there will be more scheduled flights available in 2014 when the tournament is staged to facilitate the large influx of visitors.

He said experts in the ministry expect more hits on their Facebook pages and more requests for information via the tourism stakeholders on 'Destination Guyana'.

"I think the foundation has been laid and the LCPL is a major initiative for the tourism sector and we intend to do everything that we can do to capitalise on it,” Ali said. He added that tourism stakeholders noted the enor-

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali

mous trickledown effect of the event.

Asked what else can be done to boost the interest in Guyana during the 2014 tournament, the minister said that the next step must be taken by the region en bloc.

“We need to meet as a collective to ensure that we make it easier for persons to travel within the region for LCPL... Maybe, we need to relook at the World Cup model for a sunset legislation dealing with the one entry clearance,” he advised.

Ali maintained that these are moves that can only improve the tournament, and the time is ripe for governments to strategise on ways in which they can make travelling and connections easier for regional flights so that there can be an easier flow of people.

“LCPL will be a grand success in 2014,” the minister predicted.

Limacol CPL fans reflect on first tournament

The inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) was

The LCPL is a good thing that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the sponsors such as NEWGPC INC have done. To improve more on it, I think that they should add more local players and have just a few overseas players so we could see what quality players we have in the West Indies. All in all I think that it is a good thing so that we could have some regional cricket, especially in the T20 version.

I believe that the LCPL 2013 was the best thing ever for cricket in the Caribbean and, in particular, Guyana. I think that it was able to reach the expectations of the entire population – the people with a heart for cricket – and I know for sure that 2014 it will be bigger and better and there will be more teams involved. From this perspective, I am expecting that the Amazon Warriors will come out as winners.

Kevin

Ronald

I think that LCPL 2013 was good for the fans, the cricketers and everybody because it could help to give young players a break. I am looking forward for the LCPL 2014 to be bigger and better.

I am looking forward for the LCPL 2014 to be better that last year. In the first year, some major things were not properly organized and this year I am sure things will be better placed. We are looking forward for a better team in 2014. The selectors need to give more players an opportunity. The inclusion of the overseas players gives the boys an opportunity to broaden out and its gives them an opportunity to learn from each other; it is good to mix them.

NEW GPC Limacol CPL investments remarkable — Urling

By Michael younge

QAII Technical Coordinator Parmanand Samaroo receives the Business of the Year Award (large) from President Donald Ramotar at the Georgetown Chambers of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) 124th Gala Dinner and Awards presentation at the Pegasus Hotel on December 5, 2013

NEW GPC INC has come in for much praise and recognition for the role it played in 2013 in leading the local and regional business community by making the largescale investment in the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL).

Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) President Clinton Urling said this single accomplishment by the company, because of its enormity, compelled the chamber to bestow its most prestigious and keenly contested award on Queens Atlantic Investment Inc (QAII), the conglomerate of which the NEW GPC, Guyana’s leading pharmaceutical company, is part.

In December, the chamber declared that the group had won its Business of the Year Award (large) for its investment in the LCPL T20 cricket tournament among other initiatives. The GCCI honoured a number of businesses and agencies for outstanding work at its 2013 awards and gala dinner held at the Pegasus Hotel.

tournament.

I like the idea of having the tournament. It was good, but not as good as the IPL [Indian Premier League]. We understand that this was the first one. I am of the view that in a few years it will take off. I think one of the things that they need to do is add a few more teams in the tournament and get a few more popular players. This is a start so you will not expect it to be perfect. The tournament in itself could do well for tourism throughout the region. It will be nice if they can have matches played in more islands. It was a good initiative.

QAII was recognised for the acquisition of the franchise for the Guyana Amazon Warriors team, the successful hosting of the inaugural LCPL T20 tournament, the sponsoring of the league under the Limacol product, and the introduction of Limacol as a global brand.

Major international player

Speaking with Guyana Times, Urling said those achievements were “remarkable” by any standard when one considers the local, regional and international impact of the investments made.

He said that the business community was proud of the fact that a local company had reached this level and was now solidifying its place as a major regional and international player.

Urling disclosed that the chamber also recognised the positive effect the tournament itself had on boosting enthusiasm in the arena of sport and generally creating upliftment for Guyanese and Caribbean citizens.

He also stated that the tournament lived up to its expectations and filled the void created following the collapse of the Stanford T20 tournament.

“No other project, no other investment from any Guyanese firm could have topped that

investment that was made by NEW GPC in relation to sponsorship of the LCPL. It was indeed the most enormous investment and far reaching,” the GCCI president remarked. He said that the group fought off several other nominees in the category to seal the deal, explaining that at least four other companies were shortlisted alongside the LCPL sponsor. Urling reasoned too that the impact of the LCPL has already been felt as it has left the rest of the world, viewing Guyanese businesses positively and the country generally as a hub for tourism and economic investment. “It enhanced economic activities, attracting foreign currency,” he stated, adding that “the economy got a boost and increased sales” as well.

“In the future, we need to look at LCPL from a national level and see how best we can capitalise and use it as vehicle to sell Guyana,” he opined.

LCPL Chief Executive Officer Damien O’Donohoe was quoted as saying, “We have exceeded every benchmark we set for the tournament when we embarked on this project… by every measure there is no doubt it has been a massive success.”

Massive support There was also massive commercial support for the tournament, the likes of which this region has never seen for any sporting event.

Even before a ball was bowled, 37 commercial partners were on board, including nine league sponsors, an apparel partner, and sponsors for each of the six franchises, as well as four national tourism boards.

Several high-profile individuals from the worlds of entertainment and business also got involved and threw their weight behind the league, with Hollywood actors Mark Wahlberg and Gerard Butler taking equity shares in the Barbados Tridents and Jamaica Tallawahs, respectively, while Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group backed the Antigua Hawksbills.

NEW GPC supported the Guyana Amazon Warriors and has since pledged its longterm commitment to sport development in Guyana and the region as a whole.

Andre Percival, former Guyana and U-19 West Indies cricketer

Gregory Wickham, City vendor

Seegobin, Georgetown/ Berbice taxi driver

Faith Ross, Student

Bess, City vendor

Sports and Development: The role of the Limacol CPL

The slogan, “Sports – it’s not just a game”, summarises the realisation – at least in some quarters – that sports is an integral part of the national life of every society. Sports can develop the character of the individual as well as that of the community and the nation.

It is not by chance that countries such as Russia and China, which attempted to leapfrog economic development, all introduced

strong national sports programmes.

“Sport builds and nurtures the spirit of friendly competition, it provides healthy entertainment, it exercises the body, it focuses the spirit, it creates a climate of achievement and it challenges the youth in particular to higher levels of endurance and attainment.”

While sports initially was seen as a private undertaking, which was epitomised by the “amateur” traditions of cricket, in the last half a century, professional sports have moved to centre stage, and in fact is today the driving force in modern sports development.

The mantra seems to be that “all that the amateurs can achieve for sports, the professionals can do it better”. And the professionals have taken games to such a level that they have a significant direct economic impact on development of the countries as a whole.

This was brought home most forcefully in the inaugural season of the T20 Cricket Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) in 2013, especially in Guyana, with its home team the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

When the idea of a West Indian T20

Tournament was touted in 2012, most locals scoffed at it because they felt the logistical and organisational challenges, not to mention the financial demands, could not be overcome.

One local company, however, felt otherwise – NEW GPC INC. It not only purchased the local franchise (the Guyana Amazon Warriors), but actually sponsored the entire tournament, which now became the LCPL.

This decision brought home the difference between the old amateur

tinent on the globe.

In the end, the Amazon Warriors and the Jamaica Tallawahs fought it out in the finals at the Queen's Park Oval. Even though the Trinidad Red Steels had been eliminated, the “joint was jumping” like never before that night. Jamaica might have won the first trophy, but every West Indian country won numerous other prizes.

First and foremost, there was the pride inspired in the hearts of every West Indian who had been told that we could not run anything successfully.

and the new professional approach to sports. Marketing surveys were done to verify that the markets were there for the product –T20 cricket.

The challenges were identified and one by one, they were addressed – using modern project management approaches that emphasised planning, execution and feedback mechanisms.

And so when the LCPL tournament kicked off on July 30 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, very little had been left to chance. And the “jam packed” stadiums with their enthusiastic cricketing fans in every one of the six venues – St Lucia, Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, Antigua and Trinidad and Tpbago – testified to the success of the vision. Then there were the television broadcasts to every con-

This is not an inconsequential achievement; for if a people cannot believe, they can never achieve.

West Indians now know that they can produce an event that was broadcast to every corner of the cricketing world that lived up to the very highest standards achieved elsewhere – and then some. There can be no turning back now.

Then there were the unity and amity displayed by the West Indian people that thronged the stadiums – and even among those that watched the games from their living rooms.

Whether we call this building “social capital” or “one love”, the bottom line is that people who see themselves as embarked on a common mission can achieve so much more.

More concretely, we can appreciate the economic spin-offs up close

from the Guyana leg of the tournament. Every hotel in the Georgetown area was booked solid – not just the Princess Hotel next to the Guyana National Stadium, but also the Pegasus Hotel and the smaller ones.

And this was in the inaugural tournament when there had to be a host of doubters as to whether the event could be pulled off successfully. Next year, with the certainty of success, the visitors will increase in multiples.

And they will bring with them all the well-known benefits of tourism: money pumped into the economy not only in hotels, but into food providers, transportation services, sightseeing sites, and souvenirs sellers, among others.

But just as important was and will be the selling of the West Indies itself as a tourist destination. The tourism product in the West Indies has taken a beating in the last decade, because of the downturn in the traditional northern markets. But the LCPL has opened up a whole new world literally, to the local attractions. The rise of China has already sent millions of tourists abroad – mostly to the U.S. India which is also rising has a middle class larger than the entire population of the U.S. – and they are all “cricket mad” and tuning in to LCPL’s games. We have a chance of attracting that audience both from India and from their expatriate community in the U.S. Sports in general and professional cricket represented by the LCPL and its Guyana franchise, the Amazon Warriors, owned by the NEW GPC will assist in the development of a brighter future for Guyana.

LimacolCPLwasaturnaroundforPermaul

By Rajiv Bisnauth

The popular consensus is that the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) tournament was a “massive success”. The players performed, the crowds partied and the sponsors, organisers and West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) were over the proverbial moon.

However, for Guyana and West Indies left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, it was a complete turnaround for him in his career.

The spinner, from Albion on the Corentyne, Berbice, finished as the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ second leading wicket-taker in the tournament. This is against the background that, earlier in the year at the

Caribbean T20 competition, he was thrashed to all parts of the park, picking up just a solitary wicket.

According to Permaul, he was determined to bounce back and prove his worth in the LCPL.

The 24-year-old Permaul ended the tournament with 10 wickets from nine games at an average of 19 with best figures of 3-32 against the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

“Earlier in the year, it wasn’t what I was expecting, so during the year I kept working on my game and the good performances came off at the right time (during the LCPL),” Permaul explained.

“I think basically at

dous success, adding that it could only get better as

“So LCPL ranks right up there with the other

ally happy that things have progressed, and it he

“It is good for us as cricketers and good for the Caribbean ly, it can continue and get bigger,”

Keon Joseph relishes Limacol CPL experience

– says tournament has the potential to develop

By Rajiv Bisnauth

Despite not making the final eleven for the Guyana Amazon Warriors during the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL), fast bowler Keon Joseph said the tournament was a great experience, with the potential to develop into something huge.

Joseph made the disclosure recently when asked about his experience and the future of the LCPL tournament. “It was a great experience for me. I gained a lot of knowledge from that experience,” he said.

He pointed out that one of the high points for him was being able to rub shoulders with international stars Mohammad Hafeez of Pakistan, New Zealand’s Martin Guptill and James Franklin, and the Sri Lankan duo, Tillekaratne Dilshan and Lasith Malinga.

tournament got underway, was placed on the injured list and was unable to participate.

“It was a pleasure to be around those international players because of the experience they have and what they were able to share with us. I think it is a good thing to have international players in the LCPL because, as a player, you can learn so much from them, playing in different conditions and different situations,” he pointed out.

“To be part of the atmosphere, seeing the sold out crowds and witnessing some of the world’s best players in the format was a really great moment for me,” the 22-year-old Joseph, who represented Guyana in four firstclass matches, said.

Joseph, who was not in the original squad, was called up as a replacement for fellow fast bowler Ronsford Beaton, who, just weeks before the

Speaking on the future of the LCPL, the former West Indies under-19 player said he is confident the tournament will grow into something spectacular in the years to come. “It can only make cricket better in the region and I’m positive it will get bigger and better as time progresses. It is clear that the franchise system is well-received by the fans who filled the venues, so I think the LCPL is a step in the right direction,” he added.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors finished as runnersup in the tournament after suffering defeat at the hands of the Jamaica Tallawahs by seven wickets in the final at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on August 24.

NEW GPC INC was the owner of the Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise and the title sponsor of the tournament, under its Limacol brand.

Keon Joseph

Veerasammy Permaul and teammates celebrate

Veersammy Permaul in action during the LCPL