After granting tournament sponsorship to sports clubs in Georgetown and Berbice, the Guyana Beverage Company (GBC) through its Busta brand of soft drinks is extending its arm to Bartica with the sponsorship of a 40 overs-a-side competition in the community.

Six teams attached to the Bartica Cricket Committee (BCC) now have the opportunity to compete against each other for the first time, following the launching of the Busta-sponsored tournament to the tune of $300,000 on Thursday.

At a short presentation ceremony, managing director of GBC Robert Selman  told those gathered including marketing consultant of the BCC and former secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board Bish Panday, that it was always his intention to sponsor a tournament in that area.

“When the GBC commenced its sponsorship of sports here in Guyana, it was always my intentions to do so in areas such as Bartica and Lethem and today that has become a reality as we will be sponsoring a tournament for the first time in the community of Bartica.”

“Even though they applied late for this gesture after our close-off date for the submission of our budget to our parent company S.M Jaleel in Trinidad and Tobago, I took it upon myself to say yes to them, not because we try our best to please the people in Guyana, but because of our intentions to do something for the people of Bartica,” said Selman.

He said further, “Nobody comes to GBC and leaves empty handed and while the company through our parent company is moving forward, we intend to move both sports and education forward in Guyana in whatever way it is possible for us to do so and I must say how happy I am to be partnering with the BCC today. For me it’s a dream come through and next year we will commit ourselves to a bigger and better tournament as they will be in our budget early.”

And apart from the normal sponsorship packages being offered by the GBC to the BCC for the winners, his company who will be present at the opening and the finals will be providing extra prizes to the best batsman and bowler of the tournament, along with individual prizes for spectators and school children.

President of the BCC Edward Skeete thanked the sponsors for their generosity and noted that  for the first time all the first division clubs will have the opportunity to compete against each other.
“Previously, the teams only competed in a knockout tournament but with the generosity of the GBC, they now have the opportunity to play against each other in this tournament and I would like to assure the GBC that we will be doing our utmost in ensuring his company gets the necessary mileage with this sponsorship.”

The six teams will be divided into two groups to compete in a round robin play off before the two top teams clash for the top prize of $20,000 and a trophy. The teams are  Hampshire, Orient and Bartica Cavaliers of group one and Rising Stars, New Uprising and Bartica Over 40 of group two.

The opening of the tournament along with the first match which will pit Hampshire against Orient is set for tomorrow at the Bartica Secondary School Ground, one of the two venues which will be used for the tournament, the other being the Bartica Community Centre Ground.

Apart from the first place trophy and prize money, the runner-up will pocket $15,000 while the best batsman, bowler and man-of-the finals will each receive $5,000 and this is separate from the special incentives announced by Selman.