SENIOR cricketers selected to represent the county of Berbice from 2010 would have to be involved in Community Development Programmes (CDP) and projects as part of their personal development, following the launch of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) senior cricketers CDP.

Chairman of the BCB’s Special Events Committee, Hilbert Foster, at the launching of the programme, stated that the Board and its senior cricketers have social responsibilities to make a difference as thousand of Berbicians view the cricketers, especially those who played for Guyana and the West Indies as role models.

Foster stated that the general view of some people of the present generation of cricketers is that they play the game of cricket just for the money and the main aim of this programme is to reverse that image, while teaching the senior cricketers the importance of being role models who can make a difference.

Each year, members of the Berbice senior team would be mandated to do two community projects, such as visit schools to give pep talks, feed the poor, paint road signs, donate to orphanages and senior citizens, grant educational scholarships and organise charity fundraising matches among others.

President of the BCB, Keith Foster, and its treasurer Anil Beharry both encouraged the senior cricketers present at the launching to embrace the project and to give of their time willingly.

The president informed the cricketers that the image of Berbice cricket is at an all-time high and programmes like those are meant to develop closer working relationship with the general public, the media and sponsors.

The programme was officially launched with the senior cricketers, led by Berbice skipper Assad Fudadin, Test player Sewnarine Chattergoon, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Delbert Hicks and Royston Crandon handing over $100 000 worth of educational supplies for the new school term to 20 Berbice Under-15 cricketers.

Fudadin called on the young cricketers to stay in school and to make education the number one goal in their life as it was the key to success. He also challenged the youths to always say ‘No to Drugs’ and to avoid friends who would lead them astray.

The programme would continue in August when members of the Berbice team would visit four schools in the county to do coaching programmes, paint two pedestrian crossings in front of schools and feed the inmates at three orphanages and a senior citizens’ home.