Guyana Cricket Board president Bissoondyal Singh (left) and Essequibo Cricket Board president Deleep Singh share the head table at the launch (Photo: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/March 11, 2025) See below the full presentation by Singh at the launch of the tournament on March 11, 2025 Good Afternoon. It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you all to this historic occasion, the official launch of the inaugural National Under-21 Club Cricket Tournament. Today is more than just the beginning of a competition, it marks another significant step in the Guyana Cricket Board’s commitment to the development of cricket in partnership with the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport. For years our young cricketers have had structured opportunities at the Under-15, Under-17, and Under-19 levels but after that many faced the challenge of transitioning into senior cricket without adequate competition to bridge the gap. With this Under-21 tournament, we are giving our players that additional opportunity to grow, develop and refine their skills before stepping onto the senior stage. This initiative is a direct result of the GCB’s long-term vision for the sport and the immediate willingness of the honorable Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport to provide sponsorship. Minister Charles Ramson, himself a former first-division cricketer of considerable talent, has delivered on his promise to contribute to the progress and development of cricket through sponsorship and the continued support of his ministry. As part of our five-year development plan, we recognized the need for a structured pathway that nurtures talent at every stage. 
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr. and Guyana Cricket Board president Bissoondyal Singh with key stakeholders, including players, at the launch of the tournament (Photo: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/March 11, 2025) We started with the introduction of the Under-13 and Under-23 age-group tournaments and today, with the addition of the Under-21 competition we are completing a full circle of that development framework. This will ensure that every young cricketer has a clear route to progress from grassroots to the national and even international levels. Of course, none of this would be possible without the necessary resources. I am pleased to highlight that the Government of Guyana has continue to be a driving pillar of Sports having allocated a record-breaking $8 billion towards sports development in the 2025 national budget. This historic investment, which has supported the community grounds across the three counties that have been improved speak volumes of Government’s dedication to nurturing sporting excellence. Just recently (in August 2024), through the initiative of President Mohamed Irfaan Ali over 500 full cricket kits were distributed to male and female youth cricketers from across the ten (10) regions at an impressive presentation ceremony at the Arthur Chung Convention Center. His Excellency is a keen cricket enthusiast and on many occasions has signaled that he wants to see the exponential development of cricket as an important component of nation building. Cricket, being the heartbeat of Guyanese sports, stands to benefit tremendously. With improved facilities, enhanced coaching programs and expanded tournaments such as this one, the government and GCB partnership has created an environment where our young players can thrive. To the players, this tournament is for you. It is your platform to showcase your talent, to challenge yourselves and to take the next step in your cricketing journey. I say to you, play hard, play fair and remember that every great cricketer once stood where you are today with dreams, ambition and the opportunity to make a mark. In conclusion, I would like to extend our gratitude to His Excellency and the Government of Guyana and also the Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, the Hon. Charles Ramson for the generous sponsorship of this eagerly-awaited under-21 national club cricket tournament. Finally, I close by extending best of luck to all the participating teams. The post ‘We’re completing a full circle of development’- GCB President on historic U-21 tournament appeared first on News Room Guyana. Source: https://newsroom.gy/2025/03/12/were-com ... ournament/