The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has received a financial boost of $1.1M from Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat. Additionally, seven youngsters will share in an educational grant of $100,000.
Saturday, the BCB hosted a social skills development seminar for youths in the New Amsterdam/Canje area where the youngsters benefitted from the 2021 Patrion Educational Trust Fund which is supported by Minister Bharrat, Honorary Patron of the BCB.
BCB president Hilbert Foster, who is also a vice-president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and a Director of Cricket West Indies, said that nearly 30 under-17 players will benefit under the Patron Fund during the month of November.
Foster says the BCB strongly believes that education is the key to a successful life. As such, the board has invested heavily in promoting education among youths playing the game since 2018. He disclosed that over the last four years, hundreds of youth cricketers have received assistance in the form of grants, educational materials, uniforms, cycles and school bags.
The BCB is the first cricket board in Guyana to hand out an educational scholarship to the University of Guyana.
The seven players who will share the combined grant of one hundred thousand dollars are Aaron Craig, Ronaldo Gomes, Anthony Persaud, Dinesh Persaud, Aaron Seitaram, Shaquan Whyte and Daniel Victor.
The players will each receive a voucher that allows them to uplift educational materials from Metro Office Supplies.
Speaking on why the BCB invests so heavily into education, Foster stated that an educated mind makes better all-round cricketers and also avoids major embarrassment on the international stage.
He reminded the youths that no can take away what they learn and more importantly, an educated mind allows you to think faster in a crisis.
He hailed the outstanding work of Minister Bharrat in his capacity as Board Patron and thanked him for funding the educational grant programme.
Bharrat, in a well-received feature address, spoke broadly on the importance of education and personal discipline. He shared that he was very impressed by the outstanding work of the BCB and he was fully committed to making sure that the county of Berbice produces cricketers who would excel on and off the field.
