Following their successful showing at the North America West Indies Rugby Association (NAWIRA) Rugby World Cup 2009 Sevens qualifying tournament which was held in the Bahamas on October 25 and 26, the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) was presented with a $500,000 donation from the Edward B. Beharry Group of Companies (EBBGC) yesterday.

Prior to the handing over of the cheque, president of the GRFU, Noel Adonis, informed those gathered including Area Manager of EBBGC Harry Shewpaltan, that the GRFU had estimated the cost of sending their male and female teams to the Bahamas for the RWC qualifiers at $8.5m.

“About two months ago, we estimated that it would cost the GRFU, approximately G$8.5m to send the teams to the Bahamas for the RWC 2009 Sevens qualifying tournament. To this effect, letters were sent to corporate Guyana soliciting sponsorship.”

Area Manager of Edward B. Beharry Group of Companies Harry Shewpaltan (right) hands over the cheque to manager of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) teams Robin Roberts (second left) as other executives of the GRFU look on appreciably. (Photograph by Clairmonte Marcus)

Adonis added:“Some responses we received were negative whilst some were positive but the positives were not enough, which forced us to take a loan from the bank, based on our integrity and credibility, in order to get the teams to the qualifiers.”

The GRFU head did not hesitate to say that the funds being donated by EBBGC will be deposited to the Republic Bank, as repayment of their G$2.2m debt which was taken to send the teams off to the Bahamas.

Even though they did not qualify for the RWC, the Guyanese returned home as Caribbean Sevens champions in both the male and female category.

Shewpaltan stated that his company having supported sports in the past, had no hesitation in responding to the GRFU’s request for assistance, even though they were late in doing so and urged other business entities from corporate Guyana to come forward and do so, as the results achieved by the teams depicts development.