… millions in giveaways
THOUSANDS of cricket-loving fans are expected to throng the Guyana National Stadium tomorrow to witness the culmination of the third edition of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T)-sponsored 10/10 softball competition. Those who do will not be disappointed as there are four exciting cricket matches, including the male and female finals, along with the inaugural International Cup clash between Canada and Guyana, which has a magnificent $1M cash prize up for grabs.
At a media briefing held yesterday morning, Chief Executive Officer of GT&T Yog Mahadeo said a wonderful day is planned for the finals, with a special surprise for everyone, which will be unveiled during the finals.
“We have  a packed programme filled with giveaways including millions of dollars in credit to lucky fans at the venue, coupled with the final draw and hand-over of the SUV and the first-ever softball International Cup clash between Guyana and Canada.
“Come out there and you will experience a grand time on Saturday (tomorrow). I want to tell all my Guyanese brothers and sisters who have been following this tournament from year one, that we plan to have lots of interaction during the games with spectators and players and some GT&T stars meeting and interacting with the people as well,” stated Mahadeo.
According to Mahadeo, GT&T has had a lot of new, different yet appealing events that have unearthed or would have unearthed a lot of new talents and a lot of new faces which came at a cost.
“Nevertheless, when you see our emerging stars taking their place in the Guyana scene and taking their place across the communities of Guyana, then you feel proud that such investments are worth it, because we have invested and we are investing in our brothers and sisters.
“We do have the bragging rights, but there is nothing to brag about because it is Guyanese and it is what we should do for each other. We have invested to ensure the talents across the country can come up whether it is dancing, singing, sports or whatever it is and we are happy with the outcome of all those various types of events we have had.”
Mahadeo said tomorrow would not only see the crowning of this year’s 10/10 softball champion, but also the start of a new campaign that will be in the air for the next quarter or so, while saying his Company does have lots of plans and positive developments to share with the Guyanese people in the not-too-distant future.
Mahadeo said everyone is looking forward to a wonderful final tomorrow, with a lot of fun, dancing and singing, while they will be doling out a lot of money at the end of the day’s proceedings.
Coordinator of this year’s tournament and GT&T’s Senior System Analyst, Richard Sukhdeo, said his Company was pleased with the way this year’s tournament has gone so far, adding ‘We are more pleased to see the level the sport has risen to over the past few weeks, leading up to the finals.’
According to Sukhdeo, everyone was impressed with the strides being made with the female version of the game and promised to have a closer look at that category for next year’s tournament, saying they are getting better and better all the time and will get much better next year.
GT&T’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Royston Rachpaul added that over $50M was budgeted for this year’s tournament which has touched over 13 000 persons across Guyana, including Lethem, Port Kaituma, Corentyne and other outlying areas, while Kerwin Bollers of Hits and Jams Entertainment told those gathered that tomorrow’s entertainment side will be an all-Guyanese thing.
“I think the entertainment part of Saturday’s events will certainly supplement the action on the field of play, as GT&T will be bringing lots of excitement to the softball fans.
“On stage, we will be showcasing contestants from the ongoing ‘Feel the Beat’ competition, along with the Karma band and contestants from the GT&T Song and Jingle competition which was won by Linden’s Brandon Harding,” said Bollers.
Gates will be open from 12:00hrs tomorrow while the action on the field bowls off at 14:00hrs and patrons are asked to pay $1 500 as an entrance fee, which will guarantee them a jersey and a chance to witness the after-finals show.
Four matches are scheduled for the day, with Unstoppables taking on Rockaway Auto Sales ‘A’ in the male third-place playoff, followed by the International Cup match between Guyana and Canada, the female finals between 4R Lioness and Trophy Stall Angels and the male finals between defending champions Wolf Warriors and Regal XI.