Berbice Chess Association established

Aug 27, 2017 Sports, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...ciation-established/

The game of chess is expected to receive a boost in Berbice with the recent election of office bearers for the Berbice Chess Association (BCA).
Tasked with spreading and managing the sport in the ancient county, the meeting to establish the association was held at the University of Guyana, Berbice Campus, Tain, Corentyne.
Long serving advocate Krishnanand Raghunandan who over the years has been championing the cause of the sport was elected to serve as President. Steve Leung is Vice President with the Secretary being Jaysheer Carpen and Dane Grimmond, Treasurer. Executive members are Kriskal, Winston Profitt and Walter Singh.
The establishment of the BCA is the culmination of regular annually held chess activities in Berbice that began in 2007 when a number of secondary schools were presented with chess sets from the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sports.
Port Mourant Secondary, however, received chess sets compliments of Raghunandan and the New Amsterdam Rotary Club. In 2008, a chess club was launched at the school guided by Raghunandan, and Mr. Irshaad Mohammed of the Guyana Chess Federation.
Also in 2008 (December), a total of 10 secondary school students participated in the National Schools Chess Championship in Georgetown. Ever since, Raghunandan has been taking students from Berbice to compete in the national tournament.
A Berbice inter school tournament as well as the formation of a club at the University of Guyana Berbice Campus were started in 2010. The sport was introduced by the BCA President to the village of Orella-Siparuta in March 2012, Rai Sharma, a trainer, also made that trip.
Amerindian students from that village are now regular participants in the Berbice Inter School championship.
Raghunandan in brief remarks said that the new body will be aiming to sensitise persons about the sport across Berbice, moreso in schools with the help of the Ministry of Education.
Guyana Chess Federation members, Frankie Farley and Errol Tiwari were among those present and conducted the elections.