Addressing members of the media yesterday, GCB’s president and West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) Director Chetram Singh informed that over the past several years, the WICB in collaboration with the GCB/Ministry of Education and Scotiabank have been hosting the Kiddy’s cricket programme on an annual basis and the GCB as well as the WICB is pleased to be associated with the programme since both entities have viewed this programme as an integral part of cricket development in the Region.

Singh noted that exposing school children to the sport at this stage is likely to stimulate an interest and passion for the game; encourage a wide participation of pupils at the primary level; provide opportunities for the students to experience the joy of the game while acquiring the basic skills of cricket; provide a variety of fun and enjoyable activities which are expected to provide immense pleasure and satisfaction, while teaching the basic skills of the game; develop motor skills –‘hand eye’ – coordination, sharpen reflexes, agility and flexibility, balance and speed and develop team work and corporation.

According to Singh, this year, approximately 200 primary schools around the country will be targeted for this year’s programme as compared to 170 last year.

“The members of the GCB feel a sense of satisfaction and happiness with the contribution Scotiabank has been making to Kiddy’s Cricket.

“It is evident that such input by Scotiabank would contribute significantly to ensuring that the West Indies recapture their pride and dignity by returning to world supremacy in cricket.” Singh stated.

According to Singh who has been at the helm of the GCB for approximately two decades, this year, the Kiddy’s Cricket will take the format of; Kiddy cricket training within schools and conducted by coaches employed by the GCB as well as volunteers, there would be Kiddy Cricket competitions for primary schools zones across Guyana and eight zone winners will qualify to attend the One-day International between West Indies and England on March 22 at the Providence National Stadium.

Singh said further, the GCB and Scotiabank are currently in consultation to determine the possibility of conducting additional development programmes and these may include; a summer camp/clinic for a selected group of players on the coaches’ assessment and evaluation of the players’ ability displayed during training sessions and/or competition.

Such a programme he said was piloted in Demerara with relative success during the summer of 2008.

The programme may also include ongoing development programme to be held on weekends during the period of September to December this year.

Manager – Products – of Scotiabank Jennifer Cipriani-Nelson in her remarks stated that her company which will be pumping approximately $1.2M into this year’s programme despite bankruptcy and job cuts the world over.

Cipriani-Nelson stated that Scotiabank – the official bank of West Indies Cricket – was declared one of the top 10 performing banks in the world, in a report prepared by the international management firm Oliver Wyman.

She said her company believes in building relationships locally and supporting the communities and this is the reason they are such a strong supporter of West Indies cricket and why they are proud to be the official bank of West Indies cricket.

She said this year’s programme is special to the bank as it marks the10th year since the bank has been the exclusive sponsor of this great initiative (Kiddy’s cricket).

According to her, Scotiabank’s involvement with West Indies cricket first began in 1998 as the official Bank of West Indies Cricket, and in 1999, as the exclusive sponsor of Kiddy’s Cricket.

The Kiddy’s Cricket programme started with 87 schools but currently it is a household name and an event that the Region’s youths look forward to every year.

She said her company has worked with more than 2500 schools in the Region and have distributed Kiddy Cricket equipment across the Caribbean.

“We are excited about the level of participation in this programme as we believe it encourages children to not only acquire an interest and passion for cricket, but it also strengthens their interpersonal skills, self-confidence and self-discipline” Cipriani-Nelson remarked.