West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) director Baldath Mahabir delivering the feature address at the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) annual awards on the weekend called on authorities there to harness the uncut raw cricketing talent.
"My friends Guyana has the capacity to supply top class cricketers, especially batsmen, to the world. But first stop, to the West Indies. Not unlike
your vast, strong but seemingly silent rivers–so too I see your cricket.
"Your country and its people have the talent and the passion to excel. These raw uncut cricketing gems exist in every village in Guyana. Sit with your stakeholders and plot your short, medium and long term plans. Find the gems, polish them, empower them, fill them with self-belief and self-esteem and lets explode Guyanese talent to the world.
"May I humbly suggest that the authorities recognise Guyana cricket for what it is, fuel it and allow it to grow, unfettered and unencumbered. This sport has the capability to be a huge agent of social as well as economic transformation, in this country. Allow the game to thrive and prosper.
"Do your best to provide an enabling environment that will allow this great game to flourish. Yes there may be areas that are weak–but identify them and strengthen them to allow the vehicle to move forward. Any structure that would have allowed the talents of Kanhai, Butcher, Solomon, Fredericks, Lloyd, Gibbs, Kallicharan and Chanderpaul(to name a few) to grow and prosper must have much inherent good.
"There is no need to destroy this to create a new mechanism. Work with it, be strong and honest in your assessments and then work in harmony and in brotherhood for the benefit of the game."
"In Guyana, two things can help Guyana and West Indies cricket. Better pitches and a well thought out and implemented development plan. Uncover the gems within your beautiful country, polish them and unleash them on the World. We will all benefit and as for your pitches, you know that answer as well as I do.
"Economically, there are many better than me to pronounce, but all I want to urge, is that you look at ways of adding value to that which you have access to. Value to your people, value to your timber, your craft, value to your unspoilt environment.
"Sit and dream, and then implement. Guyana and Guyana's cricket has huge untapped potential."