PRIME Minister Samuel Hinds yesterday kicked off the ball to start the opening of the Banks DIH sponsored Guyana Football Association (GFA) Banks DIH sponsored 3rd Annual Banks Beer Knock-Out Football tournament.
The Prime Minister in the delivering his opening address challenged the teams that are out of Georgetown to give of their best so as to come out victorious.However, 50 minutes after his address, Essequibo Football Association were four goals down against defending champions Sunburst Camptown in the opening game of a double header card that had as its feature match a game between Georgetown Football Association’s Pele and Upper Demerara Football Association’s Topp XX.
Prime Minister Hinds said he was excited to be present for the opening of the championship. He said his government is paying very close attention to the development of sports in Guyana, hence its involvement in the construction of some sports facilities including the construction of the Providence National Stadium, the construction of an International Aquatic centre at Lilendaal, East Coast Demerara, the current construction of the Synthetic Track for athletics at Cornelia Ida and the proposed construction of a cycling veledrome which according to Prime Minister Hinds is to get underway in a matter of years.
The Prime Minister thanked the many sponsors that have come on board for the GFA Banks Beer Knock Out Tournament and wished the 32 participating teams success.
The winning team in the competition will receive $4M while the second, third and fourth place teams will earn $2.5M, $1M and $500,000 respectively.
In addition, all eight teams that qualify for the quarter finals will each receive $100,000.
Director of Sport Neil Kumar in brief remarks said his ministry is pleased to be associated with the tournament.
He said he and his ministry support persons who are interested in the development of sports, “I want to raise my hands to the GFA President (Vernon Burnett) and his team for making the tournament a reality,” Kumar stressed.
Kumar noted that football is the most popular sport discipline in the world “it is my dream that one day Guyana will play in the World Cup final,” he stated.
Banks DIH’s Public Relations Manager Troy Peters told those present, that his company is pleased to be associated with the tournament for the third consecutive year and wished the 32 participating teams every success.
President of the Guyana Football Federation Christopher Matthias in brief remarks wished all the participating teams success and congratulated GFA’s president Vernon Burnett and his management team for organising the tournament, which is the largest tournament on the football calendar.
Burnett in brief remarks also thanked Banks DIH for once again coming on board and challenged each of the participating teams to come out on top.
Written By Michael DaSilva