Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) has responded to a plea from local ladies squash player, Nicolette Fernandes, for assistance to campaign in England.
According to DDL's advertising agent Bernard Ramsey, the beverage company decided to assist Fernandes, after reading an article which appeared in this newspaper recently, quoting Fernandes as saying she needed assistance to train and campaign in England.
Ramsey said the partnership between Fernandes and DDL is associated mainly with Diamond Mineral Water and is for a one year period, but it is renewable.
Asked what the partnership entails of Fernandes, Ramsey said, apart from advertising Diamond Mineral Water, DDL might want to use Fernandes to communicate with young people. "DDL sees Nicolette as fitting the profile of the product which is consumed a lot by the sporting fraternity and because of the energy aspect of her game, it fits her perfectly".
While he did not disclose the figure of the sponsorship deal, Ramsey said it is an agreed figure between Fernandes' father (Bobby Fernandes) as her manager and DDL. "Both parties are comfortable with the figure which is flexible" Ramsey stated.
Speaking to Stabroek Sport at the Georgetown Club where Nicolette was shooting an add yesterday, Bobby Fernandes said he is pleased with the product.
The father said he is proud of his daughter for doing all her training in Guyana "She did not complain like other sportsmen and women about the lack of facilities. She got on with her career and is successful. Now she needs not only to move up to the next level, she needs high level tournaments. She cannot live here and travel to Europe every time there is a tournament there, she has to live in England and have access to tournaments and courts, and DDL has made that possible" Bobby stated, adding "she cannot live here and only play in Regional tournaments, she needs to play better players".
"DDL is a company with integrity, and we are glad to be associated with them.
Nicolette said she is happy that DDL has come to her assistance "I never had sponsorship before, this is the first time I have been given something like this, I've grown up watching the big sports stars like Michael Jordan getting sponsorship and always dreamt of the day when I would reach that level, and this is the start" Nicolette stated.