Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
Errol K. Miller (left), vice-president, corporate affairs and corporate communications at Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited, points to the $3 million figure on a cheque he handed over to Clement Radcliffe, president of ISSA (right), and Dave Myrie (second right), chairman of ISSA championships organising committee, while Richard Powell, VMBS president, looks on. The presentation was made at the Hilton Kingston hotel yesterday. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
CABLE AND Wireless Jamaica Limited (C&WJ) will be the exclusive tele-communications provider for the 2006 VMBS/ISSA Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships.
Champs, which runs off tomorrow at the National Stadium, will see the telecommunication giant, through its NetSpeak and Broadband Internet products, putting their weight behind security.
The company handed over a $3 million cheque to Clement Radcliffe, president of ISSA and Dave Myrie, chairman of ISSA's Champs organising committee yesterday at the Hilton hotel in St. Andrew.
SOLE PROVIDER
"Effective today, we will welcome Cable and Wireless Jamaica Ltd. as the official, sole telecommunication provider for Champs this year," Radcliffe announced at the press conference. C&WJ, by virtue of their endeavours as a telecommunications giant, will provide us with equipment and their expertise to ensure that these are used as we address the matter of security.
"I think based on this agreement, we can now rest assured that the absence of effective communication between all the sub-sectors of Champs will not be an issue," Radcliffe stated.
Champs this year will take on a massive upgrade. Preparation for that includes a 24-hour shutdown of the entire complex, starting today.
This year's security measures will be used as a dress rehearsal by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the ICC WI Cricket World Cup to be staged in the Caribbean next March.
Jamaica will be hosting the opening ceremony, one semi-final, group matches for the host Windies team, as well as some practice matches.
It was disclosed at an earlier function that it will cost ISSA approximately $4 million for security for Champs, while the overall budget is set to run over $13 million. C&WJ's vice-president, corporate affairs and corporate communications, Errol Miller, said his company is very pleased to be associated with Champs.
NOT HERE TO TAKE OVER
"Our involvement in this event just demonstrates our continuing involvement in our quest, always, to try and provide opportunities for Jamaican young people to demonstrate their talent and to try and achieve their potential."
While hailing main sponsor, Victoria Mutual Building Society (VMBS) for their involvement over the past 14 years, Miller told Richard Powell, president of VMBS, that C&WJ is not here to take over as title sponsor.
"We are very, very pleased and proud to be an associate sponsor of your title event. I want to thank VMBS and ISSA for allowing us to be a part of what, in our mind, is no doubt a world-class event," he said.
Powell welcomed C&WJ on-board, noting the bond between ISSA and his company for over 14 years: "It's with this spirit we welcome on board C&WJ, which you heard has been motivated by these same objectives in joining the promotion of the VMBS/ISSA Boys and Girls' Championships 2006 as the exclusive telecommunications provider."
