Barbados cricket team in AIDS fight

With the scourge of the dreaded HIV/AIDS epidemic ever present, the Barbados cricket team has again embarked on an awareness campaign for the upcoming regional first-class season.

Throughout the entire tournament from January 31 to March 31, the team will be using a massive banner wherever they go to draw attention to the disease and try to educate fans and opponents of the dangers. The project was launched in association with the local HIV/AIDS officials.

Skipper Courtney Browne is championing the fight and he told NATIONSPORT the players see it as part of their duty, not just to bring glory on the field but also to be good citizens and assist with noble causes.

The campaign started last year and Browne said that during the Red Stripe Bowl in Jamaica in September, several players from opposing teams, as well as spectators and officials, inquired about the cause and commended them.

"It's not just about the players playing at present," Browne said. "We want this project to go on long after these players have finished. We are ambassadors for our country and we feel a duty to also play our part in other spheres. It's an ongoing campaign and it's something we feel strongly about."

Apart from the cricketers, Barry Forde, the region's leading cyclist, and several entertainers have also joined the HIV/AIDS fight.