Thirteen Under-17 players, drawn from the Upper Corentyne area, received a combined G$260,000 through the recently launched Vitality Inc. Education Trust Fund in partnership with the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB).
The players each received a G$20,000 voucher, which they would exchange at the Metro Office and Computer Supplies in New Amsterdam for educational materials. Among the players are Jamiel Clarke, Khemraj Sukwah, Ramesh Singh, Davindra Persaud, Orlando Campbelle, Emanuel Issacs, Salim Khan, Isaac Chandan and Tavindra Doobay.
“Since the election of the new administration of the Berbice Cricket Board in early 2018, we have stressed the importance of education. The BCB strongly believes that the pursuit of an educational background is just as important as striving to become a cricketing superstar as only about two percentage of our current youth players would go on to become a professional cricketer,” BCB President Hilbert Foster said.
“You must remember at all times that what you have in your brain can never be taken away from you and the BCB is determined to make sure that each one of our young players understand the importance of education.”
Foster disclosed that the players were selected by the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association, based on personal discipline, performance in the classroom, membership of a cricket club and commitment to the game.
The Cricket West Indies Director used his half hour feature address to speak on a wide range of topics, including the danger of drugs, importance of education, faith in God, respect for elders and choosing suitable friends.
The BCB, he stated, has over the last three years assisted hundreds of youth with educational materials, school bags and cycles, while dozens this year has benefitted from educational grants.
The BCB has also sponsored a one-year educational scholarship for a cricketer attending the University of Guyana.
Foster disclosed that the next area to benefit from the programme would be the Berbice River Sub-association, while more students from the Upper Corentyne, Lower Corentyne, West Berbice and New Amsterdam/Canje areas would also receive grants.
The main objective, he stated, is to assist at least 70 cricketers with grants in 2021, while school bags would also be shared out with educational materials.
Special thanks were extended to the Management of Vitality Inc. for their support of Berbice cricket.
In addition to sponsoring the Educational Trust Fund, the company and its Charity Foundation recently donated G$1.4 million worth of cricket gear to eight Berbice clubs and sponsored a 20/20 cricket tournament for Upper Corentyne clubs.
The Vitality Inc. Foundation would also construct a home for a less fortunate employee of the BCB. The construction for the mother of five is expected to start shortly after some minor arrangements are put into place.
“This would represent a first of its kind for the proactive cricket board, which is now focusing on off the field activities due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” the BCB said in a release.
Director of Vitality Inc., Abbas Hamid, stated that his company was very pleased with the state of development taking place in Berbice cricket and as such was delighted to be associated with it.
He joined with Foster to stress the importance of education and discipline. Vitality, he noted, is committed to playing a major role in the development of Guyana and intends to become a major force in the country by offering services of the highest standard.
The company is a G$2 billion investment in Guyana with special interest in the Oil and Gas sector. Among the subsidiaries of Vitality Inc. are Vitality Supplies and Vitality Accounting/Consultancy.
