Guyana Beverage Company renews sponsorship for Berbice cricket

May 07, 2009 Sports

Ravindra Kissoonlall receives the championship trophy from Shameeza Yadram while Robert Selman (extreme right) and Hilbert Foster look on.

Berbice cricket yesterday morning received a boost following the renewed commitment of the Guyana Beverage Company Ltd (GBCL) to continue sponsoring the Busta Cup 50 overs, Champion of Champions, cricket tournament which gets underway at the Canje Ground, Berbice, from Wednesday.

This is the 6th edition of the tournament and Managing Director of the GBCL, Robert Selman, committed to the continued sponsorship deal, to Secretary of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC), Hilbert Foster, at a simple ceremony at his organisation’s Diamond, East Bank Demerara headquarters, yesterday morning.

Selman lauded the efforts of the executives of the RHTYSC even as he reiterated his company’s faith in their efforts. “I am impressed by the organising skill and the general way the tournament is conducted,” Selman said.
The beverage boss intimated that the organisers of the tournament have managed to convince him that the tournament is indeed conducted to his (Selman’s) specifications and was the main reason that he had acquiesced to the continued support.

Selman subsequently announced that his organisation would also continue with the sponsorship deal involving the promotion of the Cool Kids tournament in Berbice, coupled with another in Bartica to be commissioned sometime next week.

Selman also highlighted his company’s involvement in other projects in various parts of the country aimed at the development of the youths. The beverage boss handed over several pieces of cricket gear, inclusive of bats and pads, to Mr Ravindra Kissoonlall of the RHTYSC.
Foster conveyed his deepest appreciation to Selman even as he disclosed that the GBCL and the RHTYSC would be forming a partnership to host the 2nd Kool Kidz Inter-Secondary School U-15, 20/20 tournament on Friday afternoons from 14:00hrs.

The GBCL has invested some $1.3M into the tournament, inclusive of promotional banners, sports clothing, officials’ fees and refreshment among others. The beverage giants have also undertaken to fund the live broadcast of the finals.
The winning team would receive over $65,000 in cricket gears plus the Kool Kidz trophy, while the runners-up collect a trophy and $35,000 in gears. Other lucrative prizes would be awarded to the Man-of-the-Match, Best Batsman, Bowler and Best All-Rounder.

Foster reiterated that the RHTYSC is totally committed to the restoration of West Indies cricket and would continue to seek sponsorship to promote the sport in order to make a positive impact on its development.
In first round fixtures, Young Warriors will oppose Bermine at the Canje ground, while Rose Hall Canje will play Scottsburg at the latter’s ground. RHTWSB will play Police at the Area ‘H’ venue, while Blairmont and West Berbice meet at the Blairmont ground. (Michael Benjamin)