Overseas based Guyanese businessman Dave Narine was on Friday last inducted as a Honorary member of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club MS during a simple ceremony at the St Francis Community Center Training Hall. Mr. Narine is the owner/CEO of the popular Dave West Indian Imports, located at Liberty Avenue in New York, USA. Narine, a Berbician by birth, also received the club’s highest award, The Dolphin Award of Excellence.
RHTYSC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster noted that Narine and the club has established a close working relationship and the businessman was excited to be on board with Guyana leading youth and sport organisation.
Former national female youth player Oma Matadin inducted Narine as the 203rd Honorary member of the club, while National youth player Jeremy Sandia handed over the Dolphin Award to the clearly delighted businessman.
Foster in a well received feature address traced the history of the RHTYSC and also informed the gathering of the remarkable achievements over the last thirty one years. Noting that the club struggled for the first two years of its existence, Foster stated that the fortunes changed in 1992 when the second division team won the Sydney Sabsook 40Overs title, organised by the Berbice Cricket Board. This resulted in more respect for the club and sponsors started to come on board. The RHTYSC, the Secretary stated, now hosts over 700 activities per year under a wide list of sub headings including education, charity, youth development, community development, social, religious, coaching and awards.
Dave Narine (with cap) poses with junior cricketers of the club after the ceremony.
Additionally, the club has won five Guyana Cricket Board Club of the Year Award, 101 cricket tournaments at all levels including three national championships and produced a combined 107 cricketers for Berbice, Guyana and the West Indies. He hailed Narine as a positive role model for members of the club as he rose from a humble beginning to become a highly successful businessman against great odds in the world’s most powerful country.
Narine after been inducted officially handed over a sponsorship cheque worth three hundred and fifty thousand dollars to the Assistant Secretary/CEO of the club Simon Naidu. The cheque represents support for the 2021 edition of the RHTYSC Annual Youth Magazine and full sponsorship for the eighth edition of the very popular Region Six Sports Awards. The magazine is currently been prepared for publication in July, while five awards would be shared under the Dave West Indian Imports Sports Awards. The awards to be handed over would be Sportsman of the Year, Sportswoman of the Year, Sports Personality of the Year, Lifetime Achievement award and Sports Association of the Year. Each of the awardees would carry home a trophy, plaque, medal of excellence, framed certificate and a collection of gifts.
A very emotional Narine stated that he felt very humbled to be inducted as an Honorary member of a club that he has always admired for its service to humanity and guidance to youths. He stated that he was very impressed with the RHTYSC commitment to making sure that all youths have a fair chance to fulfilling their talent on and off the cricket field especially in the classroom. Narine, who was accompanied by fellow overseas businessman Abdul Wahab of Wahab Trading, advised the youth cricketers in attendance to remain humble at all times and also to develop a culture of hard work and discipline.
The 68th recipient of the Dolphin Award of Excellence also expressed his willingness to work along the management of the club to promote the importance of education and sports. National players Jonathan Rampersaud and Matthew Pottaya handed a RHTYSC 31st anniversary cap and special gift to Narine on behalf of their colleagues.
