Republic Bank and Cricket West Indies Team Up to Bring Cricket to the Next Generation

Port of Spain, Trinidad, May 2, 2025: Eighty (80) primary schools throughout Trinidad & Tobago are gearing up to learn the game in an innovative five (5) player, five (5) over proprietary cricket format through the Republic Bank Five for Fun cricket programme.

Republic Bank and Cricket West Indies (CWI) officially launched the initiative in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday, May 1, at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva.

The programme, which was first introduced in St. Lucia in 2021, has since been implemented in several countries across the Caribbean and is designed to foster a passion for the sport of cricket among primary school students between the ages of 8 to 12, in a fun, safe and inclusive environment.

The Republic Bank Five for Fun programme, which has also been staged in Grenada, Guyana, and St. Kitts & Nevis, will engage participating primary school students in formal coaching and cricket fundamentals through a dynamic, short-format version of the game, with the goal of developing both cricketing skills and essential life values such as teamwork, discipline, leadership and communication.

It also helps to create a development foundation for CWI’s Future Stars initiative which aims to identify and nurture young cricket talent in the West Indies.

Speaking at the launch, Ms. Karen Tom Yew, Republic Bank’s General Manager, Group Enterprise Risk noted, “Cricket is deeply rooted in the heart of our nation, and this is why we’re so delighted to be able to launch Five for Fun here in Trinidad and Tobago  because it passes on this passion, this love, this joy to a whole new generation. This initiative is a platform for teamwork, learning and igniting a lifelong love for cricket in the hearts of our young ones.”

Explaining the partnership, Vice President of Cricket West Indies and President of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board, Mr. Azim Bassarath shared, “This collaborative grassroots cricket initiative, supported by Republic Bank, is timely and essential in rebuilding mass participation cricket, which is the foundation of the national and regional cricket development pathway. Cricket must not be seen as just a game, but as a vehicle that can encourage positive behavioural changes in our young people.”

Delivering brief remarks on behalf of the Ministry of Education at the launch, Mrs. Mignon King, Curriculum Coordinator, Physical Education and Sport added, “The Ministry of Education, through its cultural transformation policy acknowledges the alignment of this programme with the policy ideals. These ideals are founded on the premise of improving the quality and strength of educational opportunities to realise Vision 2030 and to make significant contributions toward reducing the level of deviant behaviour among the nation’s youth.”

Also present at the launch was Community Sport Head at The Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (SPORTT), Mrs. Lyndell Hoyte-Sanchez who explained, “SPORTT will continue to lend support to programmes such as this to encourage overall development of its participants. SPORTT has nineteen cricket coaches that will be assisting with the coaching and delivery of the programme in selected schools for the Republic Bank Five for Fun.”

President of the National Primary Schools Cricket League and National Programme Coordinator of the Five for Fun programme, Mr. Kelvin Mohammed, gave a breakdown of the how the programme will run.

During the months of May and mid-June, schools will be immersed in the art of the game - fun lunchtime activities, house-system friendly competitions and after-school practice. This is where not only eight boys and girls compete from a school, but hundreds come to understand and love the game.

From 16 to 18 June, the business-end of the programme gets going with the district’s playoffs followed by the District Festivals from 23 to 27 June. These festival dates will be staggered to facilitate greater attendance.

The National Finals brings together the eight champion schools from all the districts on July 9 at the National Cricket Centre where the National Champion will be crowned and bring the curtain down on three months of fulfilled activities.

The programme will feature ten (10) primary schools from each of the eight (8) educational districts across Trinidad and Tobago. Each team will be comprised of 5 players (3 boys, 2 girls) selected from a maximum squad of 8 with all players getting to bat and bowl. Matches will feature two 5-over innings per team, designed to be fast, fun, and accessible for beginners.

Five for Fun is powered by Republic Bank’s Power to Make a Difference corporate social responsibility programme and reinforces the Bank’s commitment to empowering youth through sport, fostering community spirit, and encouraging holistic development.

It is also one element of the pan-regional Bank’s two-pronged strategy to develop cricket within the Caribbean, with the second component being its Title sponsorship and Official Bank status for the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League.