Brian Ramphal Educational Trust Fund: BCB presents educational grants to 10 West Berbice cricketers
“The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), once I remain in charge as President, would continue to invest in the educational careers of our youths, as we strongly believe that education is the key to success on and off the cricket field. Less than five percent of youth cricketers would go on to become professional players, and, as such, it is important that we made sure that the others have an educational background to fall back on.”
Some of the students posing with executives of the BCB and their parents
Those were the words of BCB President Hilbert Foster as he spoke to youth cricketers at a simple presentation ceremony concerning the Brian Ramphal Educational Trust Fund for West Berbice at the BCB office last week.
Since election of the current executives, the BCB has invested heavily in education, and in 2022, more than 100 youths would benefit from several trust funds set up across the county. Foster has said that apart from the grants, the BCB, with support from the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC), has assisted cricketers with bicycles, school bags and educational materials.
Dozens of youths have also attended social development seminars organised under the BCB Patron’s Fund. The BCB President has urged parents present to be the best role models possible to their children, and to drive home the importance of saying yes to education, sports, religion, culture, and no to drugs, crime, alcohol and suicide.
He also urged the parents to play an important role in the players’ cricketing career, by attending matches to offer moral support and to support the management of the different clubs. Noting that it is their children who benefit from the hard work of the club officials, the BCB President urged the parents to assist the clubs by offering their skills as scorers, umpires, cooks, or even by using their vehicles to transport players to venues.
Players who received the vouchers worth $10,000 are: Christina Soloman, Queney Marks, David Alfred, Justin Samid, Nathaniel Lynch, Simon Anandram, Kishan Lalsa, Lakeraj Hemraj, Saife Sataer and Renata Liverpool. Brian Ramphal, sponsor of the fund is an overseas-based Guyanese who invests heavily in the tech industry.
