Scotiabank in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) yesterday launched the 2008 Kiddies Cricket programme at a simple ceremony held in the boardroom of the GCB.
Making a brief statement before receiving a copy of the booklet entitled ‘Clarence goes to School’ from Rajwantie Permaul, head of the Learning Resource Development Unit attached to the National Centre for Educational Research Development (NCERD), Marketing Executive of Scotiabank (Guyana) Limited, Ricardo Mc Klmon told those gathered how pleasurable it was to be involved with the project once again.
Those attending included president of the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) and vice-president of the GCB Alvin Johnson, and GCB Cricket Development Officer for Guyana Colin Stuart.
“Scotiabank is proudly celebrating 40 years of service to Guyana this year, and has been a part of the Caribbean since 1889. While we do business globally, we believe in building relationships locally and supporting the communities where we live and work. This is why we are such a strong supporter of West Indies cricket and exclusive sponsor of Kiddies Cricket,” Mc Klmon said.
He said further that the Kiddies Cricket programme which started in 1999 with 87 schools, is today a household name around the Caribbean with over 2,500 schools being involved in a programme that has impacted on a countless number of children.
Mc Klmon recalled that in 2004 with the support of the Ministry of Education and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), they launched the cricket-related curriculum ‘Clarence Goes to School’ teachers manual.
This teaching aid is designed to help teachers impact Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Art and Design and Design Technology and Healthy Lifestyle using cricket themes as examples for their pupils.
This year’s Kiddies Cricket programme was given a further boost as the Guyana Book Foundation printed an additional 75 copies of the ‘Clarence Goes to School’ manual.
The manual can also be accessed on the WICB website at www.windies-cricket.com. Schools can access this website and print as many copies as they need.
Mc Klmon noted that Scotiabank was taking its responsibilities seriously and had initiated the Scotiabank Bright Future programme to channel most of its corporate support to the development of the youths.
“This programme is an excellent example of the development of the future and a testimony of our commitment to the community and cricket,” Mc Klmon declared.
Stuart briefly thanked Scotiabank for its continued sponsorship of the energetic programme while disclosing that there were more in the pipeline for the participants of the programme, including a nurturing programme scheduled for the August vacation.
“The participants who are between the ages of 9-11 will not only benefit from basic cricket training, but will also be lectured on non-cricket related topics such as HIV/AIDS awareness and drugs education.”
Scotiabank in consultation with the WICB, he added, is looking at measures to further develop the sport of cricket with the aim of reviving West Indies cricket in the long term.
