THERE is the saying that dedicated work always brings reward. This statement is apt in the case of 20-year-old Grove Hi Tech forward Domini Garnett, who leaves Guyana today for a tryout at T&T Pro League side, Caledonia AIA.

Garnett, who has represented Guyana at the Under-17 and U-19 levels, has also been named part of the Golden Jaguars 26-man local-based side that will be encamped from January 22 ahead of the friendly international against Barbados on February 1, 2015 in Barbados.
At a simple but significant ceremony yesterday in the Boardroom of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Normalisation Committee (NC) member Stuart May congratulated Garnett and Mr James Herbert and family who sponsored the air ticket for Garnett to travel to T&T.
May told the gathering which also included East Bank FA president and secretary Wayne Francois and Franklin Wilson, Grove Hi Tech coach Jermaine Matthews and directors of the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation, Kashif Muhammad and Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major who, along with Herbert initiated the arrangement with Caledonia head coach Jamaal Shabazz. It is always the dream of any young player (male or female) growing up to play professionally.
“Mr Domini Garnett has already been selected for the Barbados squad as a Golden Jaguar, has achieved that status and now he has taken that further step in his football career.”
May noted that these happenings don’t occur by the click of a finger so he took the opportunity to single out the Herbert family for their investment in Garnett and the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation for their continued commitment to the development of the game.
Muhammad in remarks expressed pleasure at being part of the entire arrangement which facilitated Garnett’s opportunity to secure an international career informing that they saw the talent of Garnett during the Stag Super XV1 December/January tournament among the East Bank, East Demerara and Berbice associations which they followed.
“He was extremely outstanding and remarkable during the tournament. We were at the final and saw him score all five goals in his team’s win over Ann’s Grove.
Right there and then we had our good friend Mr James Herbert who is a long-time sponsor of our organisation who also hails from Grove on the East Bank and we felt that this talented player should be given an opportunity to further his skills.”
Muhammad stated that discussions were initiated immediately among members of his organisation, Herbert and Shabazz with a view of giving Garnett the opportunity to play at a higher level.
“We had discussions with Mr Franklin Wilson of the East Bank Association and we also were introduced to Garnett’s father, Mark and we promised that we were going to assist him in furthering his career.
Shabazz acquiesced immediately stating that he was committed to assisting in the development of Guyana’s football.”
Muhammad said that it is the wish of his organisation that this will be the continuation of what they would have initiated many years ago when a number of players, the likes of Collie Hercules, Randolph Jerome, Kayode McKinnon and others made their entry into semi pro ball at the time which eventually turned pro.
“Out of those players and others going abroad to play professionally in Trinidad and other places we saw the Guyana brand, Golden Jaguars coming to the fore and doing well. So we are extremely happy to be associated with giving this youngster his chance and we are happy that the East Bank association gave us the go-ahead to look out for him and we’re really elated that the Herbert family has supported and the GFF Normalisation has blessed this entire initiative to make it reality.”
May said he was very gratified that the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation whose tournament wasn’t approved last yearend still displayed a high level of maturity and commitment to the sport.
“I think the K&S organisation still went out and scouted talent and got involved in developing football and that shows that they are not small-minded and I think this is the way football is going to go forward.”
Garnett in response, thanked all including the GFF Normalisation Committee and his club, Grove Hi Tech for affording him the opportunity of taking his career to another level.
“I will take this opportunity as a step forward in life and I will do my best, work hard and prove to others that Guyana has more talent while making a way for other youths to get opportunities.”