tuesday, december 31, 2013
guyanatimesGY.com
21
Despite hurdles, RHTY&SC records highly successful 2013
T
he Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) has described 2013 as highly successful, but at the same time, noted that the year presented the most problems and hurdles in the organisation’s 23-year history. Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation completed a record-breaking 180 programmes/activities for the year, while its cricketers continue to make the club proud on and off the cricket field. Secretary/CEO of the club, Hilbert Foster, in a comprehensive review of the year, disclosed that the RHTY&SC was able to have another successful year due to the outstanding work and dedication of every club executives and members, including honourary patron Beverley Harper, president Keith Foster, treasurer Dawn Hicks, office staff Eon Hooper and Moonish Singh and executive member Allan Harry. The 180 programmes/ activities were completed under the sub-headings of sports, culture, youth development, coaching, awards, honour ceremony, religious, anti-drugs, community development, social, economic development and education.
On-field success
The RHTY&SC, during 2013 on the cricket field, won the Neal & Massy 50over Intermediate competition, the Namilco/Bakewell 20/20 Cup and NBS 40over second division tournament. The club was also the runner-up in the Carib Beer 20/20 Cup and reached the semi-finals of the Universal
Homraj played for the national Under-19 team with Pereira as the captain. Homraj scored a brilliant 103, his debut century versus the Windward Islands. Phaffiana Millington captained the national Under-19 team, while Shabita Gajnabi and Erica Lashley also played for the team. At the senior level, Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon and Rajiv Ivan played for Guyana, while Millington, Shemaine Campbelle, Trishanie Cort, Erva Giddings and Melanie Henry played for the female senior national team. In addition to the national players, the following players also played at the Inter-county level either for Berbice or the President’s XI team- Joshua Gobin, Veeramootoo Senwasane, Jason Anderson, Arif Chan, Shailendra Shameer, Nikita Toney, Tessa Park, Eon Hooper, Clinton Pestano, Dominique Rikhi, Delbert Hicks and Jason Sinclair, while Shailendra Shameer played for Guyana versus Bangladesh Under-19 team. During the year, Campbelle became the first Guyanese and only the second West Indian to score an international century, while Assad Fudadin scored 140 for the West Indies “A” versus India.
Off-field work
Off the cricket field, the RHTY&SC hosted another successful cricket academy in July for 90 youths; held its 23rd annual awards ceremony where over $2.5 million worth of prizes were shared out and hosted 12 coaching clinics for its youth cricketers.
Winners of the Gregory Gaskin Memorial Berbice Sports Awards pose with representatives of Sentinel Security and RHTY&SC
less fortunate. They also promoted the “Say No to Drugs and Yes to Education” message. Among the major programmes/projects completed by the RHTY&SC in 2013 were the annual awards ceremony, annual magazine, cricket academy, Republic Bank summer camp, Maths evening classes for Secondary School students, anti-drugs billboard, Western Union junior cricketer ambassadors programme, Basil Butcher Trust Fund, Patricia Moniz Educational Trust Fund, Tribute to Heroes, Ansa McAl Trading’s Award of Excellence, Sentinel Security Berbice Sports Award, Scotia Bank Tribute to Teachers, E-Networks Tribute to Head Teachers, Mother-of-the-Year,
Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets first division team – winner of Namilco/Bakewell 20/20
DVD 20/20 and the Elizabeth Styles Under-19, 50-over. The club’s cricketers have also to date reached the quarter-finals of the Berbice Under-17 competition and the final of the Tenelec Inc. Under-15 tournament. On the field, Daniel Lewis and Brandon Prashad represented Guyana at the Under-17 level, while Shawn Pereira and Askay
Members of the club’s different cricket team RHT Farfan & Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under-17 and second division, Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate, Gizmos & Gadgets first division and Under-21 and the Metro Females completed a total of over 80 self-developmental programmes with the main aim of making positive differences in the lives of youths, the elderly and
Father-of-the-Year, Region Six Educational Awards Scheme, Berbice River Bridge Tribute to Retired Teachers Programme, Weekly feeding of the poor, monthly food hampers for senior citizens, musical television shows, hosting of Namilco/Bakewell 20/20, Teacher of the Term Award Scheme and the printing of educational posters. The club also distribut-
ed over $10 million worth of educational and hygiene kits, clothing, food items and footwear to less fortunate families in Berbice and in August donated close to $1 million worth of school bags and exercise books to students in Berbice. The club also assisted 32 cricket clubs and youth/ sports organisation in Berbice with over $2.5 million worth of sports equipment and other needed materials and assisted two children with funding for overseas medical expenses. In December, a massive Christmas programme was organised including a party for 500 children, senior citizens luncheon, sharing out of 300 hampers and 3000 toys.
Major role
2013 also saw the Club and its Secretary/ CEO Hilbert Foster playing a major role in reforming its founder group, the St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Youth Club and sponsoring a host of activities including essay and art competitions, youth get together, printing of monthly church leaflet, lunch for orphans, toys for all Catholic children in Berbice and obtaining a $175,000 musical set for the church. The RHTY&SC as it has done for the last six years also played a major role in raising millions of dollars in cricket sponsorship for the Berbice Cricket Board and also co-sponsored numerous programmes of the Board. The club also edited and produced the fifth cricket edition of the BCB cricket magazine. The RHTY&SC also co-sponsored or supported over 30 sporting events in Berbice that included football, volleyball, basketball, chess, table tennis, domino and softball. Foster also stated that the RHTY&SC was fortunate that it was still able to be successful in 2013 be-
cause it had its own internal problems to deal with, including the resignation of two officials, the high cost of maintaining a permanent office, the huge electric bills from Guyana Power and Light, the virtual non co-operation of the Rose Hall Town Council concerning the upkeep and security of the Area “H” ground, the indiscipline culture of some youths and the efforts of a few outside the club who seemed determined to destroy the club in an effort to gain power at the Berbice cricket level.
Main highlight
The main highlight for the RHTY&SC in 2013 was the fulfillment of a commitment made by president Donald Ramotar and Minister Dr. Frank Anthony to repair the old pavillion of the Area “H” ground. The club has projected a total of 200 programmes/activities for 2014 with special emphasis being placed on charity, education, anti-drugs, youth development and religious activities. The different cricket teams of the club would also undergo a radical restructuring with a view to get better results with the newly appointed cricket coach Winston Smith and office manager Moonish Singh being at the helm. Special emphasis would also be placed on the St. Francis Xavier Youth Club while with the reappointment of Hilbert Foster as the Berbice Cricket Board’s (BCB) Special Events Committee Chairman, the BCB would also benefit in a large way from the RHTY&SC. The club is very grateful to its numerous supporters, official sponsors and donors for their support during 2013 which enabled the RHTY&SC to maintain its status as Guyana’s leading youth and sports club. While the list is too
long to mention, the club would like to publicly acknowledge the contributions of president Donald Ramotar, Bakewell, DDL, Gizmos & Gadgets, Farfan & Mendes, Food for the Poor, Metro Office and Computer Supplies, Sterling Products Limited, GTM Group of Companies, Western Union, Banks DIH Limited, Ansa McAl Trading, Beharry Group of Companies, Berbice River Bridge, E-Networks, Namilco, GT&T, Republic Bank (Guy) Limited, Scotiabank, DTV-8, Busta, NCN, Radio’s Needy Children Fund, Bounty Farm Limited, Toucan Industries, Southland International, F&H Printing Establishment, H.A Snacks, Impressions, Trophy Stall, NEW GPC Inc., Universal DVD, Sentinel Security, Handin-Hand, Bissan’s Trading, A. Ally & Sons, Len’s Craft, TCL (Guy), Ricks & Sari Agro Industries Limited, Diamond Fire & General Insurance, Minister Jennifer Westford, King’s Jewellery, A.M. Khan, DeSinco Trading, Ming’s, Feroze Barakat, Bermudez, C.K Associates, John Lewis Styles, P&P Insurance Brokers, Starr Computers, Apex Insurance, Alfred Mentore, A.H & L Kissoon, Guyana Lottery Company, Basil Butcher, Cirkel Distributors, Dr. Ian Mc Donald, Marcel Crawford S.C, Mohamed Qualander and Vincent Alexander. The club would also like to express gratitude to the hundreds of others who donated financially or with clothing, educational materials and footwear among others. Special thanks are also extended to members of the national media, especially DTV-8, LRTVS CH10, TVG, NCN, Guyana Chronicle, Stabroek News, Kaieteur News and Guyana Times.