GT&T pumps $500 000 into this year’s tournament

AT A SIMPLE presentation ceremony held in its Hadfield Street-based canteen yesterday afternoon, telecommunication giant Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) honoured its word of commitment with the Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA), by pumping $500 000 into the ‘Guyana Softball Cup 4’ international tournament.Prior to making the presentation GT&T Marketing Officer Nicola Duggan, who along with Margaret Washington made the presentation to Ramchand Ragbeer and Dharam Persaud of the GFSCA, said her company was delighted to be associated with the GFSCA on this tournament once again.
In his thank-you remarks, Ragbeer said, “We, at the GFSCA, feel pleased to have GT&T onboard with us once again. They have been partnering with us for the past two years with this tournament and we look forward to a continued relationship with them in future tournaments.”
In his brief preview of this year’s tournament, Persaud said all logistics are in place and softball-loving fans in Guyana will get to see 26 teams, 14 of which are in the Masters category, doing battle for supremacy when the action bowls off on Friday with 26 matches at various venues across Georgetown.
Two dozen teams will compete in this year’s event, with 12 from Guyana, seven from New York, three from Florida and two from Canada. During the three-day championship, there will be a total of 36 preliminary games, followed by four semi-finals and two finals.
In an effort to expand the reach of the competition and ensure maximum participation from spectators, the organisers have increased the number of venues this year.
Grounds earmarked to host games are Police Sports Club, Everest Cricket Club, Georgetown Cricket Club, Demerara Cricket Club, Muslim Youth Organisation and Malteenoes Sports Club, with the finals set to take place on Sunday at DCC under lights.
Trophy Stall and New York Better Hope are the defending champions of the Open and Masters Categories respectively, while the previous champions were NYSCL New York (Open) and Savage Masters in 2012 and Cotton Field Wild Oats (Open) and Regal Seniors (Masters) in 2011 and according to information from the GFSCA, this year’s tournament has an estimated budget of $10M.
The Open and Masters Over-45 categories will have an MVP who will be the recipient of one 14-carat gold bracelet, accentuated with diamond studs, while three female exhibition games will be contested among Mike’s Wellwoman, 4R Lioness, Trophy Stall Angels and Karibee Girls and will be a 10/10 affair commencing at 11:00hrs.
In addition, two lucky spectators will have the opportunity to win a trip to Aruba on the day of the finals, thanks to the kindness of Survival Travel Agency, while admission to the venues on Friday and Saturday will be free, with fans asked to pay an entrance fee of $500 for the finals on Sunday.