Bakewell, Namilco partner for Champion of Champions 20/20

In an excellent demonstration of public-private sector partnership, the National Milling Company of Guyana (Namilco) and Bakewell have collaborated with the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) to stage the inaugural Champion of Champions 20/20 competition, set to start on April 21 and climax on May 26.

Managing Director of Bakewell, Rajin Ganga (fourth left), Managing Director of Namilco, Bert Sukhai (fourth right), RTHY&SC CEO, Hilbert Foster (second left) and Ansa McAL Trading’s PRO Darshanie Yussuf (third left) pose with other officials of the various companies at Friday’s launch (Photo: Avenash Ramzan)

At the launch of the competition on Friday at Bakewell’s head office at Triumph, East Coast Demerara, CEO of the RHTY&SC, Hilbert Foster, said proceeds from the competition will go towards the purchase of a mini-bus to assist in the transportation needs of the club.

ANSA McAL Trading is also on board with the RHTY&SC for this tournament, having earned the bar rights.

The tournament will feature eight teams competing in a knockout format with the champion receiving $200,000 – the biggest prize for a champion team in a tournament organised by a club in Berbice.

The runner-up will collect $100,000, while the third and fourth place finishers will pocket $50,000 and $25,000 respectively. The Man-of-the-Match in the final will be $10,000 richer.

Battling for supremacy will be West Berbice, Blairmont, Bermine, Young Warriors, Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets, Port Mourant, Skeldon and Albion.
Matches will be played at the Skeldon, Port Mourant and Albion grounds, with the final fixed for the Albion venue.

On April 21, four matches will be played with the winners moving forward to the semi-finals on May 5. The third place and final will take place on May 26, a national holiday.

Foster, speaking at the launch, said the RHTY&SC is pleased to welcome Namilco, Bakewell and ANSA McAL Trading on board for the tournament, noting that they are supporting a worthy cause.

“This tournament, as is always the case with the RHTY&SC, would be well-organised, while a massive public relations campaign would be launched to promote the tournament across the entire country. The sponsors would also be providing hampers of their products to lucky patrons at the final, while teams in the final would also benefit from peer talks on drug abuse and the importance of education,” Foster related.

Namilco has injected $400,000 in the tournament, while Bakewell has invested $300,000, and representatives of both entities said they are happy to partner with the RHTY&SC.

Managing Director of Namilco, Bert Sukhai, said, “We have been tolda that the onjective is to raise funds to purchase a bus to be used for transportation. I urge all the people in the numerous villages in the Corentyne to come out in their numbers and witness some exciting matches and in turn cause this onjective to be realised.”

Rajin Ganga, the managing director of Bakewell, echoed similar sentiments, adding that his company has always been an avid supporter of sport across the board.

Public Relations Officer of ANSA McAL Trading, Darshanie Yussuf, wished Foster and his team well at the upcoming tournament, while urging cricket fans to support the event, as it is for a worthy cause.