Republic Bank (EC) Limited, on May 18, officially launched the third ‘Five for Fun’ Youth Cricket initiative at Republic Bank’s Castries Branch.

The initiative, which was successfully piloted in Saint Lucia in 2021, is an Under 12 short-format Cricket competition, designed for the participation of primary schools boys and girls. It arose out of a collaboration between Republic Bank and Cricket West Indies (CWI), a release from the bank states.  ’Five for Fun’ provides a pathway and regional coaching framework for aspiring CWI players. It ensures that children not only have access to Cricket at the primary school level, promoting the game in a fun, safe, player-centred environment, but also provides opportunities for social and life skills development through Cricket.

The launch event was well-attended by participating students of the Bocage and Micoud Primary Schools, coaches, representatives from the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association (SLNCA) and representatives from Republic Bank (EC) Limited.

Operations Manager of the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association, Shaun Alcindor, speaking at the launch, thanked Republic Bank for funding such an initiative. He spoke to the impact that Cricket can have on a young person’s life, observing that “through Cricket young people learn teamwork, discipline and resilience”.

First vice president of the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association, Donald Dave Albert, expounded on the benefits that this initiative will bring to young individuals.

The ‘Five for Fun’ initiative is part of Republic Bank’s larger commitment to social responsibility and community development, the bank said in its release. It added that the sport of Cricket holds great significance for Caribbean people as it represents a shared cultural heritage and serves as a source of national pride and identity.

The ‘Five for Fun’ initiative will culminate with five top zonal teams participating in a festival final. Each team will comprise five players and compete in a two innings (5-overs per innings) format. Each team will include at least two boys and two girls, and everyone will have an opportunity to bat, bowl and field.