Caribbean Children’s Charity Shield Soccer Classic launched
President David Granger receives a salute from the Fruta Conquerors Football Club team prior to this morning’s opening of the Caribbean Children’s Charity Shield Soccer Classic. (Adrian Narine photo)
President David Granger receives a salute from the Fruta Conquerors Football Club team prior to this morning’s opening of the Caribbean Children’s Charity Shield Soccer Classic. (Adrian Narine photo)

… President Granger urges fair play

THREE Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries joined forces yesterday to launch the Caribbean Children’s Charity Shield Soccer Classic, which will run from August 24 to 30 at the Guyana Defence Force ground. Under the patronage of the President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, H.E. David Granger, Tournament hosts Guyana, as well as touring football teams from Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago will be engaged in Youth football over the next six days.
During a brief opening ceremony yesterday morning, President Granger welcomed the guests to Guyana, adding that he is confident of a successful tournament where discipline will prevail.
He likened CARICOM to a tree, saying, “At the top of the tree, you have the Caribbean heads of government, the branches being all the states of CARICOM from Belize and Bahamas all the way to Guyana and Suriname.”
“And then there’s the trunk, the CSME which holds us together, but right at the bottom you have the grassroots, and the trees cannot survive without the grassroots and this is where the Lashley Foundation operates,” he added.
“This is a huge enterprise that is bringing together hundreds of young people from three CARICOM states. I congratulate and thank you for your efforts that you are putting into this.”
Meanwhile, in his remarks, Hamilton Lashley, Chairman of the Hamilton Lashley Human Development Foundation contended that “we’ve been having wonderful cooperation with those associations in Guyana that have been helping us in this tournament; also I want to thank all of the persons who have been working with us on the ground.”
“This tri-nation partnership that we have developed will continue,” he added.
Also present was president of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wayne Forde, who lauded the initiative by saying, “We, at the GFF executive committee, believe that this is the perfect opportunity to further our youth development programme.”
He noted the emphasis on the youth league recently, citing the current NAMILCO U-17 tournament, adding that the tournament is testimony to diplomatic relations being strengthened.
Meanwhile, senior project officer of the National Sports Commission, Seon Erskine, wished the participants well and urged fair play.
In Zone A, Gall Hall (Barbados), Gairy John (Trinidad), Wales (Barbados), Morvant Academy (Trinidad) and Guyana’s Den Amstel and Victoria Kings will battle while the Zone B will see Waterford Camptown, Paradise and Empire of Barbados play Elcock Academy (Trinidad) as well as Guyana’s RP warriors and Grove Hi-Tech.
At the U-17 level, Fruta Conquerors will join the Grove Hi-Tech side as well as East Veldt and Pele sides as Guyana’s representatives in Zone A, along with Cosmos (Barbados) and Creek (Trinidad).
Zone B will see Gall Hall and Paradise of Barbados take on Morvant Academy and Black Waters of Trinidad together with Alpha and Santos of Guyana.

 

 

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