Sport Organisations need to have strategic plan, vision and accountability – Singh

Jan 29, 2009 Sports

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-GT&T donate $1million to GRFU

By Rawle Welch

“Sport Organisations wishing to solicit our support must have a solid strategic plan, deliverables and a proper balance sheet,” Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company (GT&T) Major General Retired Joe Singh told the gathering that assembled at the Guyana Rugby Football Union’s (GRFU) Appreciation Ceremony which was held last Tuesday evening, at Duke Lodge in Kingston.
The occasion which was attended by Rugby Executives, the successful Men and Women teams that won Caribbean titles at the last regional championships in the Bahamas, sponsors representatives, members of the media and well wishers was held in honour of all those Companies and individual sponsors who as West Indies Rugby Union President Christopher ‘Kit’ Nascimento aptly put it, “placed their hands in their pockets to support the Union.”
Among the other notable personalities who were present at the ceremony were GT&T’s Deputy General Manager of Communications Terry Holder, GRFU President and Vice-President Noel Adonis and Robin Roberts, current and former West Indies players including present captain Claudius Butts, Albert La Rose, Dane Parks and Colonel John Lewis in addition to members of the respective national squads.
Major General Singh, whose Company also presented a cheque of $1million towards the preparation of the West Indies squad that will participate in the IRB’s World Sevens Series in Hong Kong in March, responding on behalf of the many sponsors who according to Nascimento numbered around thirty (30) first thanked the Union for organising the activity at such an impressive location which he said matched the performances of the sport’s management and the victorious teams that has made Guyana proud at the regional level.
The former rugby player who from his well informed pronouncements about the past and current developments in the sport appeared to be an ardent follower showered praise on the fraternity for its prudent management, accountability and vision which has helped to guarantee that the sport enjoys continued progress.
He commended WIRU and the GRFU for possessing the foresight and leadership which has kept the sport improving in its performance every year due to the maintenance of a well organised junior programme.
“I attended a school where sport was obligatory, it was seen as a compliment to your academic pursuits, but sadly now that is not the case,” Singh said.
Singh added that the authorities now see sports as incidental and referred to it as a sad mistake and one that is counter productive to nurturing our youths.
The GT&T Head stated that with the current global recession and the challenges faced by many economies it has forced business entities to be very sensible with their investments.
“You now have to put your money where it can have a multiplying effect and offers significant mileage.”
He further stated that apart from the aforementioned features, the GRFU is the only entity that sees it fit to send a progress report at the end of every tournament.

He urged the players to not only to be good ambassadors for Guyana, but also to those who will be yearning to fill their shoes.
Another point of note that Singh mentioned was that sponsors are more interested in athletes who they can feel confident about putting them on their billboards without the fear of negative comments or consequences, but who can be more of a positive influence to aspiring youths.
Meanwhile, Adonis in his presentation thanked all the sponsors for their support throughout the year and called on them not to abandon the Union, but rather to possibly look at increasing their goodwill..
Adonis said that they’ve built something that they could be extremely proud in reference to the achievements of the two teams.
Reporting on the year, Adonis disclosed that the Union had started the year in a deficit, but had still hoped to fulfil all its international obligations including competing in the Regional Under-19 tournament in Barbados, hosting the Women’s 15’s competition, participating in the Men’s 15’s in the Cayman Islands and the NAWIRA Sevens World Cup qualifiers in the Bahamas.
“We immediately realised that what was needed was a lot of fund raising activities both internally and externally and we set about doing just that.
He pointed out in the end, they were able to attend all three regional tournaments and by the conclusion of the season the GRFU had participated in six regional competitions.
Adonis stressed that even though the Union has been able to make significant strides over the past three years; more work is still there to be done, citing the lack of activity outside of Georgetown as a major setback and the need to take the sport to even greater heights.
Nascimento, who has been an instrumental factor in the success of the Union, also extended credit to the sponsors, adding that the success of the GRFU in 2008 were numerous and significant and all credit must go to the coaching staff and teams.
He lauded the support given by the ten Companies, who were presented with Diamond Certificates namely GT&T, Mings Products and Services, Ram & McRae, Caribbean Airlines, Demerara Mutual & Life Insurance, Edward Beharry & Company, Ansa McAl, PCCL, Guyana Olympic Association and the Guyana Defence Force.
The other entities that received certificates were C&V Shipping, Humphrey’s Bakery & Farm Products, Nigel’s Supermarket, DDL, Beckles Lumber Yard, Brans Security, Cara Hotel, Jus’ Water, Medi-Care Pharmacy, IPA, Geddes Grant Ltd, Pharmagen Enterprise, Roraima Airways, Dalip Trading, De Sinco Trading, Demerara Bank, E-Networks, Top Brands, Laparkan, German’s Restaurant, Banks DIH and Bounty Farm.
Nascimento was also grateful to the Management of Duke Lodge for offering the facility free of cost, German’s Restaurant for the snacks and Ansa McAl for the beverages.

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