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Ministry of Sports injects $3m into Petra’s KFC Int’l Goodwill tournament
Kaieteur Sports – The highly anticipated KFC International Goodwill Secondary School Football Tournament has received a major boost ahead of its 2025 edition, as the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports announced a $3 million partnership with the Petra Organisation to support the staging of the event.
Minister Charles Ramson speaking at yesterday’s briefing.
The announcement was made yesterday during a presentation ceremony held at the Ministry’s Boardroom, where Minister of Sport Charles Ramson Jr. and Minister within the Ministry Steven Jacobs met with Petra Co-Directors Troy Mendonca and Dr Marlan Cole.
The partnership underscores the government’s ongoing commitment to youth and community development through sport. The Ministry’s investment will help cushion operational costs for what has become one of the premier youth football tournaments in the Caribbean.
Minister Ramson, in his remarks, praised the Petra Organisation for its continued role in developing grassroots football in Guyana.
“The Ministry and Petra Organisation have had a very strong relationship, so I know of their organizational capability and the quality of this tournament,” Minister Ramson said.
“Over the past five years, sports have seen a decline in participation due to distractions from technological advancements. When young people are distracted, the pool of talent shrinks. That’s why it’s important for us to be involved in youth sport, particularly at the school level.”
Ramson further emphasized the importance of sustaining Guyana’s role as the consistent host of the tournament.
“The success of this tournament speaks for itself. Our involvement here is to secure Guyana’s consistent hosting of this event. We want to build it into a true regional Secondary Schools Championship tournament.”
The 2025 edition of the KFC Goodwill Series is already shaping up to be the biggest yet. This year’s competition will feature eight teams from across the region, including Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and for the first time, Brazil and the Bahamas.
Co-Director of the Petra Organisation Troy Mendonca (center) together with Ministers Charles Ramson and Steven Jacobs seal partnership ahead of the 2025 KFC International Goodwill tournament.
Three local schools will represent Guyana, including Chase’s Academic Foundation, the defending champions who earned automatic qualification following their impressive victory in the 2024 edition.
The tournament, scheduled to kick off in December, will adopt a round-robin format, giving young footballers a chance to showcase their skills and earn regional recognition in one of the Caribbean’s most reputable school competitions.
Minister Jacobs echoed his colleague’s sentiments, highlighting the importance of strong partnerships between government and private entities in promoting sport.
Minister within the Ministry of Sports, Steven Jacobs.
“It is important to have these private-corporate partnerships. It’s about creating opportunities for our young sportsmen, particularly in football,” Jacobs said.
“We at the Ministry understand the level of commitment required to host regional tournaments, and that’s why we’ve extended our reach to Petra. Their consistency in hosting youth football events has been remarkable, and we will continue to support their efforts.”
He also commended the Ministry’s leadership under Minister Ramson for prioritizing investments in youth development and sport.
“From a government perspective, we will continue to support initiatives like this and wish Petra every success in their future endeavors.”
For nearly two decades, the Petra Organisation has been at the forefront of youth football in Guyana, organising top-tier grassroots tournaments and fostering pathways for young talent. With the Ministry of Sports now on board, both entities are poised to elevate the KFC Goodwill Series into one of the premier school football championships in the region.
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- Charles Ramson, Goodwill tournament, KFC, KFC International Goodwill tournament, Petra, School football, Steven Jacobs
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