Banks Malta to sponsor National Schools Championships
By Leeron Brumell
Guyana Chronicle
February 28, 2004
BANKS Malta has come to the rescue of the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) National Schools Track and Field, Cycling and Swimming Championships, scheduled for next month at the Enmore Community Centre Ground, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
For the first time Banks DIH has come on board as a corporate sponsor, taking over from M. Beepat and Sons Ltd who distributed the Nestle Milo chocolate beverage for a number of years.
Banks will be injecting some $1.3M into the Championships along with $3.5M from the Ministry of Education and GTU.
According to Public Relations Officer Banks DIH Limited, Ian Hercules, his company has long been involved in sporting activities and now will be fully on board and will be paying more sponsorship to every area of the championships.
Malta Brands Manager Wayne Braithwaite echoed Hercules’ sentiments and is also hoping that the partnership will be lasting and beneficial.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Permanent Secretary of Finance in the ministry, Winston Browne, said that the ministry has always focused on sports since it makes a well-rounded individual and it is good biologically and psychologically.
To this end he also added that the ministry is committed to healthy sports activities.
The championships were not staged last year due to teachers’ boycott of the annual event, but this year it is up and running with the support of everyone and is scheduled for March 9-12.
President of the GTU, Sydney Murdock, said the championships will be efficiently and competently managed and security measures are in place for the safety of everyone.
Murdock said that the out-of-town districts will be housed in schools in the area and there will be security provided at the games village as well as the ground on a round-the-clock basis.
Accommodation for athletes and spectators is being addressed. The president said that they are constructing sheds on the outskirts of the ground for the event.
The officials for the events are required to be dressed in black bottom and blue tops only.
The championships begin on Tuesday, March 9, with the cycling and swimming events, but the official opening ceremony is set for Wednesday, March 10 at 10:00 hrs and President Bharrat Jagdeo is expected to attend.
The 40-mile cycle road race begins at Dundee Mahaicony, while a 25-km race for female athletes pedals off from Fairfield, Mahaicony; a 10-km road race from the Mahaica Hospital Bus Shed and a 5-km for girls from the Hope Estate Bridge.
All races will end at the Enmore Ice Factory entrance and will start at 06:00 hrs.
The remaining cycling events will be contested at the Mahaica Old Road.
Swimming will be done at the Enmore Estate Pool.
After the official opening ceremony on March 10, 108 track and field events will be contested, with 123 for Thursday and 84 on the final day.
All events will be contested between 10:00 to 18:00 hrs. There will be no night races.
Murdock said events are only run in the evening at venues where there are flood light facilities.
This is the third time the championships will be staged at the Enmore Community Centre ground and the North Georgetown District are the defending champions.
They won the championships when they were last staged in 2002 at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary.