CITATION TO BESTOW THE HONOUR OF PATRON OF WICUA
JOSEPH REDS PERRIERA
Joseph “Reds” Perriera started official regional commentary
in 1959 in his native British Guyana in a match between British Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. This low keyed start signaled
the start of an outstanding career in the field of broadcasting.
Joseph “Reds” Perriera did his first test match in 1971 and his last in 2005. He has commentated
in 145 test matches, countless ODIs and numerous first class games. He also has commentated in all the test playing countries
with the exception of Banglasdesh.
“Reds”
served as OECS sports director from 1984 – 1996, and while he concentrated on the development of other sports; he initiated
numerous cricket clinics in the sub-region.
At the launching of his book “Living my Dreams” he was lauded
across the region and some of these sentiments embodied WICUA perception of Reds:
Reds Perreira’s greatest assets
in the highly competitive world of broadcast journalism have been his boundless enthusiasm, unflagging energy, an insatiable
appetite for all forms of sport, amazing powers of recall, a widely spread network of well-positioned friends and acquaintances,
and a high regard for the public’s right to be well informed.
Above all, Reds Perreira is a man of action. Always brimming with ideas, he gets things done, and is
never hesitant in mobilizing all available resources towards the promotion and development of Caribbean sport.
Reds have been recognized in other ways:
A 458 word extract from Living
My Dreams has been recently included in a teaching manual “English A for CSEC “to be published in January 2012.
On reaching the milestone of 100 test broadcast at Sabina Park, Jamaica, Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira was honoured
by Steve Buchner who presented him with an autographed stump from the match.
Over the years Reds has contributed in many
ways to cricket development in the wider region and has expressed strikingly poignant views on officiating in cricket.
His empathy with umpires is demonstrated by his stated annoyance with excessive and unnecessary appeals.
The spirit of the game is very important to Reds and he cited the run out
of Kallicharan in Guyana by Tony Greg and the edge by Greg Chapel in Australia which caused young Michael Holden to sit down
and cry when the batsman did not walk.
“Reds”is
a true student of the game and sometimes he is referred to as a walking encyclopedia. Whatever may be said of his style, he
is without doubt among the best sportscasters/administrators the Caribbean has produced over the past 50 years.
For these and other wholly acceptable reasons, the WICUA is bestowing the
honour of Patron on Joseph “Reds” Perriera
