FOR THE past four years, Grace Kennedy Remittance Services (GKRS), the parent company of Western Union, has found it fit to partner with Guyana’s leading youth and sports club, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club’s (RHTYSC) Junior Cricketer Ambassador Programme.

Hence it was no accident yesterday when the company, known around the world for its financial remittance services among others, maintained its partnership with the Area ‘H’ club, by supplying five of the Ancient County’s young cricketers with over $310 000 in cricket gear.
Prior to the presentation, long-serving Chief Executive Officer/Secretary of the Club Hilbert Foster give a brief report on the five recipients, namely national Under-19 skipper Shawn Pereira and his colleague Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai, Daniel Lewis, Phaffiana Millington and Ashkay Homraj.
“We at the management level of the club, strongly believe in the development of youths and as such, great effort is made to develop our cricketers at all levels, be it educational, personal and on the cricket field.
We want our cricketers to be positive role models to every youth they meet and also to be perfect sport ambassadors for every team they are given an opportunity to represent,” said Foster to his audience which included GKRS’ (Guyana) Incorporated Marketing Manager Natheeah Mendonca.
He added, “Our friends at Western Union, led by Mrs Mendonca have supported this effort since 2009 by hosting an annual edition of the Junior Cricketer Ambassador Programme, under which five cricketers would receive a bat, pair of batting gloves and pads, helmet, set of uniform and cricket bag.”
According to the burly Foster, the records of both Pereira and Motie-Kanhai speak for themselves, since both players have not only been representing their respective clubs from an early age but also Guyana as well, doing so to the extent that they have both won Best Bowler and Best All-rounder respectively.
“At 14 years old, Millington, who is the lone female in this year’s list of recipients, remains one of the brightest stars at the female level and is expected to become our next Shemaine Campbelle. Only two weeks ago, she took 7 for 11 in a match against Big Star Under-17, where she was the lone female.
Lewis, the younger brother of former national Under-19 player Lloydel Lewis, who, along with Linden Austin was among the first batch of recipients in this programme, is the Club’s Under-17 skipper and has played for Berbice at both the Under-15 and 17 levels and has a promising future while his disciplined character saw him pick up RHTYSC’s Disciplined Player Award recently.”
Foster is of the opinion that Homraj is without doubt, the most exciting player he has seen at the club, since Guyana and West Indies middle order batsman Assad Fudadin began playing there 16 years ago..
“Ashkay’s natural talents as a middle order batsman has left the club management quite excited and with proper handling can go all the way. Together with Pereira, Lloydel Lewis, Dominique Rikhi, Eon Hooper and Clinton Pestano form a remarkable group of talent for the RHTYSC” posited Foster.
He took the opportunity to thank GKRS (Guyana) Incorporated for their continued investment in the club and cricket, saying their confidence is most welcome while words cannot express the young cricketers’ gratitude for the role the company is playing in their development.
In her brief remarks, Mendonca said it was an honour for GKRS to be a part of the programme, and challenged the five recipients to remain disciplined at all times, while reminding both Lloydel Lewis and Austin, that the company is there for them.
“It is very good to see two of the Ambassadors of this programme moving onto the next level and their performances make us feel good, since we know our investment is not in vain. Keep up the good work, we have invested in you for a couple of years and we will not forget you, if you need assistance, we are here for you.”