Charlestown, Nevis, August 5
2020 (DBSKN) — Cricket-playing youths on the island of St. Kitts have been
benefitting from training offered by retired Senior West Indies Cricket Team
player, Mr Keeth Arthurton, originally from the island of Nevis but who on
retiring from competitive cricket settled in St. Kitts where he opened a
cricket academy.
On Tuesday August 4 at the top (the Hill) of the Elquemedo T. Willett Park in
Charlestown, Mr Keeth Arthurton in partnership with the Development Bank of St.
Kitts and Nevis saw the commissioning of what is being described as a new
chapter that will give the island of Nevis its fair share of cricket training offered
by the Nevisian.
“Working with Mr Keeth Arthurton and the St. Kitts Cricket Association, the Development
Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis has supported many training openings on the island
of St. Kitts where we have seen a number of players graduate to play at the
regional level,” said Manager of the Nevis Branch of the Development Bank of
St. Kitts and Nevis, Ms Hyacinth Pemberton.
The Development Bank official was delivering brief remarks at the official opening
and naming ceremony of the Cricket Practice Facility, at the Elquemedo T.
Willett Park, in honour of a former cricketing great from Nevis, Mr Livingstone
Sargeant. The ceremony was organised by the Ministry of Sports in the Nevis
Island Administration.
“Here on Nevis we have worked with the Nevis Cricket Association to ensure that Nevis
gets its fair share of the training offered to our youth,” said Ms Pemberton. “With
the opening of this cricket practice facility today, Nevis will be getting its
rightful share of the Keeth Arthurton special training which has hitherto been
enjoyed by budding cricketers on St. Kitts.”
Present at the ceremony, which was chaired by the Director of the Department of Sports
in the Nevis Island Administration Mr Jamir Claxton, included the Premier of
Nevis the Hon Mark Brantley, the Minister Social Development in the Nevis
Island Administration, the Hon Eric Evelyn who gave feature remarks,
Nevis-based Director of the Development Bank, Mr Stephen Jones, and Development
Bank’s Marketing Officer Ms Vernitha Evelyn.
Others present included Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development Mr
Keith Glasgow, President of the Nevis Cricket Association Mr Carlisle Powell,
the wife and son of Mr Livingstone Sargeant, Mrs Mildred Sargeant and Mr Tavo
Sargeant, and representatives from organisations that would have contributed towards
the setting up of the Cricket Practice Facility.
“At the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis we believe in our youth and the
reason why the bank, which is wholly owned by the government of St. Kitts and
Nevis, is the leader in student loans because opening the doors for the future
prosperity of our youth is our articulated mandate,” observed Ms Pemberton.
She added: “The Board and Management of the Development Bank are satisfied that
Nevis is getting its fair share, and we hope that it is only a matter of time
before the island pushes on another player to wear the West Indies colours
because we are confident that our boys and girls are up to the standard that is
required to wear the colours. If Nevis’ cricket is going to be back where it
used to be, there is not a better person than Mr Keeth Arthurton to do the job.
He knows what it takes to be a great cricketer because he is one. Having
offered to transfer skills to the youth in Nevis, he should be applauded and
given all the support he needs.”
Mr Keeth Arthurton, who was the third of the seven Nevisians who played on the
Senior West Indies Cricket Team, had in 2018 approached the Development Bank of
St. Kitts and Nevis for sponsorship to set up a cricket training facility at
the Elquemedo T. Willett Park in Charlestown and his request was met with
favour.
“The Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis, and its Chief Executive Officer Mr
Lenworth Harris in particular have always been willing to contribute to the
development of cricket,” said Mr Arthurton at the opening and naming ceremony
on Tuesday August 4. “I remember going to him and he asked me about what needs
to get done. He is one of those people in positions who are very passionate
towards sports in particular cricket. He is like that – he loves cricket. He
always wants to bat for these youngsters.”
According to Mr Arthurton, the CEO of the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis Mr
Lenworth Harris who played cricket for St. Kitts had told him that developing
cricket in St. Kitts, and not in Nevis, will defeat the purpose because Nevis
has players who are very good and even better. The youth in Nevis, he noted, needed
young players they can look up to like a role model.
