… Visit to cost organisers over $15M
EDSON Arantes do Nascimento better known as `King Pele’ will visit the South Georgetown `ghettos’ during his two-day stay in Guyana as guest of honour of the Kashif and Shanghai organisation.

This was disclosed by co-director of the Kashif and Shanghai organisation Kashif Muhammad during a press conference at Duke Lodge yesterday.

Muhammad confirmed that do Nascimento will arrive in Guyana on a Leer 35 jet along with a four-member delegation on the morning of December 12 and leave in the afternoon of December 13.

President of the Guyana Private Sector Commission, Captain Gerry Gouveia, who was also present at the press conference said the cost of chartering the Leer 35 jet is in the vicinity of $15M and the organisers, Kashif and Shanghai organisation, have already paid that sum to the bank.

Gouveia informed that when he was approached by Kashif Muhammad and Aubrey `Shanghai’ Major about bringing `King Pele’ to Guyana, he was asked what the cost would be and after going through flight arrangements and plans, the sum of $15M was put to the two co-directors who immediately said the figure can be realised.

According to Muhammad, the gate receipts would take care of the cost of chartering the jet “and even if we fall short a bit, it’s worth the effort as `King Pele’ would leave an indelible mark on the country’s youths and football in Guyana as a whole.

Gouveia explained that his company Roraima Airways would be responsible for the Leer Jet’s landing rights and security while on the ground in Guyana among other things.

During his stay in Guyana, `King Pele’ will be taken on a motorcade through the South Georgetown communities of Albouystown and South Ruimveldt where, according to Guyana Football Federation president Colin Klass, youths from those depressed areas would get an opportunity to see and probably shake hands with the legendary Brazilian who also evolved from the Brazilian `ghettos’ and later became a household name across the world.

Klass said he is hopeful that by seeing King Pele and maybe shaking hands with him, the youths from the troubled communities would want to emulate him.

Asked if do Nascimento’s visit in the `ghettos’ might make a positive impact on the South Georgetown youths, Klass said King Pele’s visit to Guyana is much more significant to football “as it would leave an indelible mark on the country’s youths, since it would show them (youths) that they too can make it to the top, despite coming from the `ghettos’.

The `King’, on arrival at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, will be the guest of honour at a VIP reception that will be sponsored by the Government of Guyana.

From there, he will be driven to Georgetown and will have breakfast at the Pegasus Hotel, compliments of the GFF.

After visiting with Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony and other government officials as well as with City Mayor Hamilton Green, `King Pele’ will be hosted to lunch at Cara Suites, compliments of the Brazilian Embassy.

The Brazilian legend who was born on the 23rd of October 1940 and who has played 1 263 first class and international matches between September 7, 1956 and October 1 1977 will also meet the Brazilian ambassador to Guyana as well as with Klass among others.

King Pele who has scored 1 281 goals in the 1 263 first class and international matches that he has played will also be Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company’s guest of honour at lunch on Sunday.

After lunch, do Nascimento will be taken on the motorcade through the south Georgetown ghettos from where he will attend the opening ceremony of the 20th edition of the Kashif and Shanghai football tournament which is billed for the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

For the opening ceremony, `King Pele’ will meet and have a first-hand look at the two teams (Santos and Pele) that were founded in his honour engage each other in the feature match on the opening night of the tournament.

According to Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony, when do Nascimento learnt that two clubs in Guyana were named in his honour, he (`King Pele’) was very excited and requested to know more about them.