UWI Media Release
Regional Headquarters, Jamaica. WI. 15 September 2015: The University of the West Indies (UWI) in partnership with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will host a Celebrity T20 cricket match in Barbados on September 26, 2015, in support of Dominica, as the island continues to grapple with the devastation left behind as a result of the passage of Tropical Storm Erika on August 27, 2015.
The T20 match at Kensington Oval which aims to attract a sold-out crowd, will see a WICB President’s Celebrity XI play against a UWI Vice-Chancellor’s Celebrity XI. Each team will field six West Indies’ cricketers and five Caribbean celebrities. Former West Indies’ and Trinidad and Tobago cricketer Brian Lara, Tobago-born UK-based footballer Dwight Yorke and Jamaican Olympian athlete, Yohan Blake are among the first sporting personalities to confirm their availability for the benefit match. For the West Indies team players, it will be the final home game before departing for their tour of Sri Lanka.
UWI Vice-Chancellor, Sir Hilary Beckles, said that The UWI was pleased to collaborate with the WICB to support the Dominica relief fund. Expressing sympathy to the families who lost relatives and property in the storm, he said “The UWI is committed to doing everything we can to help in the resuscitation of Dominica and its people.”
Noting that cricket is a sport that has historically united Caribbean people Sir Hilary said, “It is fitting that our celebrated cricketers and athletes should join with academia in providing financial and moral support for our brothers and sisters in the region.”
Since the August 27 disaster, Sir Hilary has been in contact with Dominican Prime Minister, the Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit and a UWI task force of experts in disaster management, including engineers and doctors coordinated by Disaster Risk Management Specialist, Dr Jeremy Collymore, is already on the ground in Dominica.
President of the West Indies Cricket Board, Dave Cameron endorsed the WICB’s and cricketers’ dedication to doing their part in the face of Dominica’s disaster. He said that the West Indies cricket team represents the region with pride all over the world but nowhere is more important to them than the Caribbean. He further underscored the long-standing collaboration with The UWI for the development of the region.
In addition supporting the benefit match through ticket sales, persons and institutions can also make financial pledges through online and telephone mechanisms. More details will follow in a subsequent release.
