By Avenash Ramzan
An alliance that started nearly two decades ago has been further strengthened with signatures on the dotted lines and a firm handshake.
The fact that the beneficiary is standing at the peak of local club football for the last two years may have made negotiations for renewal of that partnership quite simple.
And judging from the utterances on Wednesday at the Guyana Red Cross building, the Guyana Beverages Inc. premier juice brand Fruta will remain the prefix of Conquerors, the Tucville-based Football Club, for many more years.
With back-to-back Elite League titles and an unprecedented unbeaten run in the title defence, Fruta Conquerors earned the right to represent Guyana at the Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield last April and will do so again in 2020.
Though they did not secure a win, losing two of their matches and drawing one in Group A, there were positive signs that have been duly noted by Guyana Beverages Inc.
Samuel Arjoon, the General Manager of the Diamond, East Bank Demerara, establishment, said the union with Conquerors is one that speaks to the core values of the company, mainly the development of young people.
“Often we hear of the potential of Guyana, but the potential and talent by itself cannot come to fruition without money, and that’s the stark reality,” Arjoon expressed.
The GM, who made a passionate plea to the government to match the investment of his company over the last 20 years by sponsoring a club, spoke of his vision for the club.
“Fruta Conquerors have done us well; we’ve reached to the Caribbean level. The next stage is to have six members of Fruta Conquerors to be part of the Golden Jaguars.”
Arjoon said he’s passionate about grassroot development, women’s football and a strategic business plan to push the sport forward at Fruta Conquerors.
“When Fruta Conquerors become self-sustaining I think that is when the club would realise its full potential of the brand (of football) and the full potential of earning money. We’re going to challenge Fruta Conquerors to come up now with a strategic plan for those three aspects of the club’s development and bring it into reality I would say within the medium term- a three to five years period,” Arjoon explained.
President Colin Gittens hailed Guyana Beverages Inc. for what he described as their “relentless contribution” to the club.
“Their contribution today speaks of the close affiliation between the company and the club. It also speaks of the company’s dedication to sports and moreso to the development of youth.”
Gittens said it is his desire to see more corporate entities roll out similar models of development as the one conceptualised by Guyana Beverages Inc. and Fruta Conquerors.
“It’s much more than just giving money, but it’s the development of youth as I said before,” Gittens stressed.
The contract signing was done by Arjoon and Secretary of the club Daniel Thomas, in the presence of Head Coach Sampson Gilbert, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Jennell D’Anjou and Committee Member Samantha Johnson.
