Caribbean International Distributors Incorporated (CIDI), who is a member of the Rudisa Group of Companies which is based in neighbouring Suriname, and through their Blue Life purified water and Thrill soft drink answered the call of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) when they donated $600,000.00 and a quantity of Blue Life water towards the GFF and the Golden Jaguars respectively.
At a simple ceremony held in the board room of CIDI, Sales and Marketing Manager CIDI Alicia Katadeen expressed her company’s pleasure at being associated with the GFF, whose president Colin Klass, and general secretary Noel Adonis, along with technical director Jamaal Shabazz and captain of the Golden Jaguars Charles ‘Lily’ Pollard were present.
“We at CIDI would like to announce our support for the achievement, progress and prosperity of Guyana’s Golden Jaguars in its bid to be a part of World Cup 2010 in South Africa. On Sunday 22nd June, our boys will “Roar” against Suriname, ironically from where our company originated, hence what better time to show our support for our local boys and urge them on to claw their way past Suriname.”
Katadeen added: “We have a cadre of talented and motivated players with professional experience in the CONCACAF Region and yet an undiscovered pool of players of Guyanese descent playing in the major leagues in Europe and North America, thus there is no stopping us from realizing the dream of participating in South Africa in 2010.
“We have stood on the sidelines and watched this team prepare through sun and rain and faced opponents stronger than themselves without daunting spirits even when they lost a game or two. Guyana’s Golden Jaguars is a force to be reckoned with and should have the full support of the country to go all the way.
“However, to go all the way takes financial aid and today Blue Life Purified water and Thrill soft drinks has come forward with its contribution in the form of not only cash, but products for the team’s preparation leading up to Sunday’s game. We are aware that football locally has its troubles and difficulties like any other sport in Guyana, but here is an excellent chance for our team to pull together and qualify for the next round, erasing all negative talks in the process.
“ I take this opportunity also to call on Corporate Guyana to step up and support our Golden Jaguars just as neighbouring Trinidad rallies around their Soca Warriors who not only got the support of Trinidad but Guyanese and the wider Caribbean in their bid at the last World Cup.”
In closing, Katadeen stated that Blue Life Purified water and Thrill have answered the call made to all of Corporate Guyana and not their offices and said it was time all of Guyana roar with the Golden Jaguars as we are hungry for a victory.
Klass thanked CIDI for their timely and worthy contribution even without a request.
“This is a tremendous blessing in disguise as they were the ones who called us and made this offer. I want to call on Corporate Guyana to emulate CIDI in helping out the GFF with the financial part as football and football upkeep calls for a lot of finance.”
Klass pointed out Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica as examples, citing the financial burden their football associations undertook when they were qualifying for the same tournament.
“It has been clearly indicated by those countries who have been there before, the expense it takes to get your national team to the World Cup. The footballers can do it, but they need the support of Corporate Guyana as it is the country who will benefit at the end.”
“Without the support of Corporate Guyana, the idea of going forward would be highly impossible so I want to urge them to come forward and take this journey to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa together with us.”
Klass thanked CIDI for their timely financial injection and said he looked forward to seeing the Guyanese football fans come out in their numbers on Sunday, clad in yellow as the Jaguars intend to make the day a day in hell for their opponents.
