The Bourda invasion
WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY
ABOUT
What should have been a thrilling finish to the Cable and Wireless series fifth one-day match between the West Indies and Australia at Bourda last Wednesday, ended in a tie after an unruly crowd invaded the field while the match was still in progress. Following the invasion and a meeting between the match referee and the Australian and West Indies captains, the match was declared a tie. This week, the man/woman-in-the-street share their views on the `Bourda invasion'. Sean Cozier - self-employed: `I was at Bourda and I am still upset by the invasion. The GCB (Guyana Cricket Board) and the WICB (West Indies Cricket Board) have to take a lot of the blame. The scoreboard was misleading spectators. I followed the game because of my transistor. Since the 16th or 17th over, the radio commentator kept noting the wrong scores. I think the call for the ban on international cricket at Bourda is absolutely ridiculous. I am not condoning indiscipline, but when our cricketers go to countries like Pakistan and India and when we are winning the spectators pelt our players with bottles, debris and whatever else and no one calls for the banning of cricket in those countries. During the last World Cup in India when spectators burnt the stands, no umpire called for the banning of cricket there. When there are riots and lives are lost in soccer matches no one calls for the banning of the games. Tighter and proper security are emphasised. That is what is needed in Guyana. International cricket must not be banned from coming to Guyana.' Devindra Lall - University of Guyana student: `I think the invasion of the ground was very rude. The police did not do a good job. They could have prevented what occurred after they had been forewarned in the penultimate over. Instead of being on guard they went back to the pavilion to watch the match. As a nation the actions have cast a bad reflection on us and it is saying to the international community that we cannot organise a popular international sporting event. The GCC (Georgetown Cricket Club) should have been prepared in view of the West Indies/Pakistan encounter back in 1993. I feel sad that we lost a match which would have placed us in the lead and even sadder that it happened in Guyana knowing that it was shown worldwide. I do not think that Guyana should be banned from holding international cricket but probably some amount of disciplinary action taken, such as being by-passed in a test match or a one-dayer which Guyana is scheduled to host.' Carlos Simpson - self-employed: `I think the WICB and the GCB should be blamed for what took place at Bourda. When last did Bourda host a test match or a one-dayer? In this series, Trinidad hosted a test match and back-to-back one-day matches, Barbados hosted a test match and (by the time this feature is published) would have hosted back-to-back one-dayers. We are cricket starved. Guyana is denied the opportunity of hosting international cricket because the WICB's `eyes pass' Guyanese. In addition Guyanese in recent years have lost respect for law and authority. What happened at Bourda is not coincidental, it is a spillover from a lawless society. The authorities wait until something happens and then they enforce or reinforce the laws. For example there had to be a boat incident in the Demerara River which claimed the lives of a number of people a few years ago for the authorities to ensure that passengers wear life jackets. The police should now look at replays of the incident and those they recognise on camera should be placed before the courts, be given a heavy penalty and banned from entering Bourda.' Daniel Dunn - self-employed: `It was a total disgrace. Those who invaded the ground were basically `popers' (persons who entered illegally). Imagine a man going to snatch the bat out of the Australian captain's hand and another carrying away the stumps even before the game ended. I feel bad especially when foreigners come into this country and feel threatened. It must not happen again because international cricket will not be banned from coming to Guyana. What happened at Bourda should have never happened seeing that it was not the first time but the second time. Everyone knows that the local cricket board as well as the WICB must accept total responsibility. They gave wrong scores and were fooling the public all along. Not everyone had transistors. International cricket must not be banned from Guyana. The innocent must not pay for the guilty.' Ashraf Rahim - private sector employee: `I do not think that international cricket should be banned from Guyana because of what took place at Bourda. I admit that the invasion was wrong but two wrongs cannot make a right. There are a number of deficiencies that must be corrected and this would include better facilities such as adequate fencing and security measures. Even though I know that a very good match was spoilt for the West Indies and sad that it had to happen in Guyana, invasion of grounds is widespread. It happened in Trinidad and Tobago and it happened in St Vincent because people were overjoyed. Honestly I blame the Guyana Police Force for what happened and not so much the indiscipline. What happened at Bourda could have happened elsewhere but the security measures were not in place. Policemen were there but they were not prepared. Even the horse guards stood by doing nothing.' Miriam Williams - singer: `I am disappointed with the results and embarrassed by the invasion of the grounds. Nevertheless, I feel that the administrators of the game must accept responsibility for what happened until an investigation is carried out and the results of the investigation made public. The police I feel were caught napping once more and I feel that based on what has happened the police have a lot of catching up to do on their homework. The replays on television revealed quite a lot which showed that both our players and the Australians could have been seriously injured. I do not feel that Guyana should be banned on account of what happened at Bourda. I think that while other disciplinary measures could be considered, Guyanese and West Indians have already been severely punished by having to accept a tie when clearly the game was in the West Indies' favour.' Sachin Somwaru - student: `I am angry and embarrassed by what took place and to know that the police were there in their numbers and on horse back and doing virtually nothing. I can still see the anger in Steve Waugh's face when his bat was being tugged away and wonder why the GCB knowing what transpired before did not take precautions by putting up a second fence. I think an investigation into the disaster is in order and the findings made public. Recommendations should also be made on how to improve things for future matches. I do not think that Guyana should be banned from international cricket. We are a part of the West Indies and we have players in the side. As a nation, we have to take responsibility for what happened. I cannot see the police pulling in one or two persons and placing them before the courts because they were caught in the television footage. There were scores of people out there.' Paul Moore - television journalist: `I think that before we pass judgement on the police, the GCB and the WICB on what took place, an immediate investigation should be mounted and the findings made public. Recommendations should also be made as to the course of action. I also do not think that there should be a ban on international cricket coming to Guyana. What I would recommend is that the GCB look at doubling up on its fencing to avoid any future recurrence. Definitely the ground was too packed and what could have possibly contributed to this was the overselling of tickets. The local board I think should also look at itself and should not blame the police totally.' Soham Salick - student: `If the police are not capable of crowd control, the GCB should employ private security services that can do the job. It was not a case where the police should have used force but simply that the police should have been in place, alert and ready. The President, Mrs Janet Jagan, was present and saw what took place. I know that cricket is good for regional integration and tourism a major foreign exchange earner. I do not think she should sit by and see that international cricket is taken away from us. As a young Guyanese I am totally annoyed with the invasion of the grounds and feel that security on the ground was lax. I feel that many people `poped' the ground and some on the ground were `Popers'. It is unfair to even think about banning international cricket from Guyana even though some disciplinary action could be instituted based on investigations into what went wrong. Cricket is part of our culture and banning it would have serious repercussions.'
Ryan Llewelyn - student: `I am hurt by the incident. Hurt because we tied a match we were supposed to win and because of the behaviour of a few. The fault I think lies with the GCB which should have ensured secured facilities. If one fence is not enough, then put in another. The unruly few could not have rocked down two fences. This is what is done in some countries. Some of the blame has to go to the WICB for starving Guyanese of cricket. Put a ban on international cricket? No way. I think that we should get more. The WICB should not only look at it as a profit making exercise but as one which would encourage all its territories into getting involved at higher levels of the game. The GCB and the WICB should give Guyanese more matches.'
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