By Avenash Ramzan
The excellent work of executives of the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) and coach Garvin Nedd has captured the attention of telecommunication company, Digicel. At a simple presentation ceremony on Friday morning, the company sealed its partnership with the Queenstown club.
Digicel (Guyana) Public Relations Officer, Vidya Bijlall- Sanichara, on her company’s behalf, presented the sponsorship, in the form of both cash and kind, to executives of DCC, led by president Alfred Mentore.
The club is in the second week of its annual three-week August vacation cricket camp, conducted by youth coach Nedd, with assistance of Guyana Amazon Warriors all-rounder Christopher Barnwell.
President Mentore, in receiving the sponsorship package, welcomed Digicel onboard with the “Home of Legends.” He said while the phone company has previously partnered with the club, this is the first time the ‘Red Network’ has plugged sponsorship into the cricket camp.
The camp is now its ninth year and Mentore is hoping the partnership with Digicel will turn out to be a long and fruitful one. He mentioned that the club has been consistently producing players for Guyana’s youth teams, mentioning that Ashmead Nedd, Sachin Singh and Qamar Torrington are currently in England with the West Indies Under-16 team.
Barnwell, a member of DCC and one of Digicel’s Brand Ambassadors, was also on hand on Friday to hear how delighted Digicel is to be part of the club’s programme.
“When he [Barnwell] told us that he’s part of the programme here at DCC and he would like us to partner with him, because he’s on it and he’s giving some time to it after coming off the CPL, we said ‘sure why not,” Bijlall- Sanichara said.
She added, “Digicel, being in Barnwell’s corner, we will always support cricket, our Brand Ambassadors and DCC, as well as the community and the youths. The youths are why we’re here so this is just a small gesture; we hope it can go a far way, and we will be onboard with this from today onwards.”
Barnwell also used the opportunity to put up a bat and a pair of batting gloves to be given to the best young player to emerge from the camp. That player will be chosen by Barnwell, coach Nedd and president Mentore.
The participants of the camp were all presented with branded Digicel caps and water bottles. The camp will conclude next Friday with a grand closing ceremony.
Cover photo caption: Digicel’s PRO Vidya Bijlall- Sanichara presents the sponsorship to DCC president Alfred Mentore. They are flanked by coach Garvin Nedd, national player Christopher Barnwell and participants of the camp (Photos by Avenash Ramzan)
