President of the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) Sharma Solomon summed it up for the grand launching on Wednesday afternoon at the Egbert Benjamin Conference Hall for those attending by stating simply, “At the end of the year we are returning to the spectacle that we all look forward to.”These are words of comfort to the football-crazed Linden community which indeed have perennially craved for a year of football extravaganza. They now have the re-assuring sponsorship from Banks DIH who sealed the playing of the third annual UDFA GT Beer football championship which starts on Sunday at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground and the final set for January 1, 2016.

In attendance at the Launch were Banks DIH Communications Manager Troy Peters, Banks DIH Outdoor Events Manager Mortimer Stewart, GT Beer Brand Manager Jeff Clement, Shondel Easton the Banks DIH Linden Branch Manager and representatives of the fourteen clubs which will be playing in the tournament.

In his own inimitable style of recent memory Solomon recalled, “We always say, and it is important regardless of the kind of representation you are here for, based on my recent background, regardless in our action, when we do anything of on your behalf it is done on a level that we take pride in representing as long as the price is right, (and) it is worth the sacrifice, because we understood what this programme means to the people of this community at the end of the year, that you subscribe to what we are doing, that the year end football belongs to the people of Linden.”

He mentioned the corporate sponsorship that the sport enjoys but was particularly pleased to single out beverage giants Banks DIH for the continued sponsorship and noted, “We are also grateful that Banks DIH for the third year would have seen it fit by injecting millions of dollars for the development of you, our footballers.” But Solomon cautioned “We have to work in partnership, and working in partnership requires a level of discipline which we ask that you commit.”

Meanwhile, Peters spoke of the Banks DIH continued involvement in the sport as they support the efforts of the UDFA to ensure football is played and the development of the game is assured with this partnership.

Peters recalled, “What is of significance and more importance is that the GT Beer was launched in Linden three years ago and we owe a debt of gratitude to the Linden community for that take off, which has caught on countrywide.”

According to Peters, “If you look at the recent performances of sports persons from Linden, particularly the recent National Schools Athletics, Swimming and Cycling Championships the town of Linden and Region Ten on the whole have excelled, and with this kind of showing Banks DIH is more than willing to contribute to the development of sports in the mining town of Linden.”

Easton, Banks DIH Linden Branch Manager was excited about the role Banks DIH is playing in the tournament as she looked forward to the continued relationship by her company and the UDFA for the ultimate development of football in Linden and the region.

The programme was chaired by Organising Secretary of the UDFA Vanessa Kissoon who assured Banks DIH that the UDFA will ensure their investment would go a long way in the development of the sport in the entire region.

By Joe Chapman