Sponsorship renewed ahead of cricket season’s climax

Dr Puran Singh National Players Financial Scheme…

Junior and female cricketers in Berbice would continue to benefit from the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) in 2020, as that entity has renewed its sponsorship package with overseas-based Guyanese physician Dr. Puran Singh for the hosting of the 3rd Annual National Players Scheme.

Dr Singh poses with Kevin Sinclair and Nial Smith after presenting them with bats

The main objective of the scheme is to financially assist Berbice cricketers who fall in the under-15, under-17 and under-19 brackets, as well as female cricketers, once they gain selection at the national level.
Dr. Singh’s sponsorship of this scheme started in 2019, the BCB having used its own funds to launch this ambitious project in 2018.
BCB President Hilbert Foster, MS, whose idea it was was to establish the scheme, hailed the renewal of the sponsorship as another red-letter day in the rapid development of Berbice Cricket. Foster noted that on his election to the Presidency of the BCB, in February 2018, a parent approached him for assistance to purchase a pair of uniforms for her child, who was going to play for Berbice at the under-15 level.
In tears, that parent told him that she was unable to purchase the uniform because she was unemployed, but she didn’t want to shatter her child’s dream of playing cricket for Berbice.
The idea for this scheme was birthed at that moment, foster stated, as poverty should not be the reason why a child should not fulfill his/her dreams.
The other objectives of the scheme are: to encourage players to be proper role models, to represent the Berbice flag with pride, and to act as an investment in the player’s career.
The BCB boss, Foster, has said he is very committed to making sure that all of the BCB players have equal opportunities to develop their talents. The financial scheme is just one of the programmes directed at assisting youths, with the BCB planning to host numerous coaching programmes, educational sessions, cricket academy and social/etiquette programmes.
Additionally, the BCB would be hosting numerous cricket tournaments at the Under 13, Under 15, Under 17, Under 19, Under 21, Under 23, Primary School, Secondary School and female levels in an aggressive effort to unearth and develop talents across Berbice.
Since establishment of the scheme in 2018, the BCB has handed out close to $700,000 to its players and officials. Under the scheme, players and team officials would receive $10,000. each to assist them to prepare for the different tournaments.
Dr Puran Singh, based in Barbados and the younger brother of BCB main sponsor Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh, last year contributed $300,000 to this scheme, and would in 2020 be investing $320,000.
The elder Doctor Singh has, since 2018, donated over $4million of his own funds to the BCB to sponsor county wide coaching, annual cricket academy, restoration of the BCB office, preparation of inter-county teams.
Dr Singh has said it was with pride that he agreed to renew the sponsorship, as he is totally pleased with the work of the Hilbert Foster-led administration. He praised the BCB for its accountability of his funds — regular reports with photos — and providing media coverage of the activities of the scheme.
Dr Singh has committed to sponsoring this scheme in the future, and expressed confidence that Berbice would continue to produce players of excellence at all levels.
On Sunday last, Dr Singh hosted the Guyana Senior Cricket Team at his Barbados home, and presented Berbicians Kevin Sinclair and Nial Smith with bats. Dr Singh is a recipient of the BCB’s highest award, Tribute to Hero.