By Neto Baptiste
The Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABFA) has come in for high praise from President of the Liberta Sports Club, Kenneth Benjamin, over its funding initiative which has seen a number of cricket clubs receive financial assistance towards infrastructural development.
The former West Indies fast bowler, who is usually critical of the sport’s governing body here, said the association deserves some credit for the move.
“I know Rising Sun got some monies from the cricket association, I know Jennings got some, Urlings wrote, and I think that Urlings probably will get some, and Liberta Sports Club wrote because we are doing our nets and we are seeking assistance to help buy our nets and so on. I know that based on the talk I had with the president [Leon Rodney], we are going to get some money as well and all of this is to help with infrastructure,” he said.
President of the cricket association, Leon Rodney, revealed while speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, that clubs are urged to make their request for assistance on an existing project.
Benjamin said the cricket association deserves the accolades given they are not being funded by a parent body but are making these funds available from what they would have earned through various initiatives.
“The cricket association earned all of the monies they got, and I just want to say to some people who are asking what the other associations are doing that the cricket association, as far as I know, have already given out nearly $50,000.00 to just four clubs to help with infrastructure,” he said.
A number of clubs have been approved for and have received assistance from the cricket association. According to reports, the Liberta Sports Club has been approved for over EC$12,000.00 worth in funding while other clubs like Urlings, Rising Sun and Bethesda also stand to benefit from the initiative.