Bakewell renews RHTY&SC cricket sponsorship for 23rd successive year

…Panthera Solutions pumps funds into cricket development programme

Longtime sponsor of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS, Bakewell, last week renewed its cricket sponsorship of the club. The renewal of the sponsorship took place at the company’s head office at Triumph, East Coast Demerara.

Bakewell’s Secretary Natasha Bhikari handed over the cricket sponsorship to RHTY&SC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster and Vice President Mark Papannah. Foster disclosed that the company came on board as an official sponsor of the club after a visit by the founder of Bakewell, Naeem Nasir, and General Manager Rajiv Ganga.
Bakewell was the fourth major sponsor to come on board, following in the footsteps of Courts, GTT and Farfan and Mendes Ltd. Bakewell, at the start of the sponsorship, supported the club’s second division team, and later added the under-17 team. The two teams, over the last 23 years, have won close to 20 different tournaments organized by either the RHTY&SC or Berbice Cricket Board.
The teams have also played major roles in the development of numerous national players, and have invested heavily in moulding them into all rounded individuals who were capable of representing Guyana or the West Indies at the highest levels.

Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Kevin Sinclair, Shemaine Campbelle, Sheneta Grimmond, Erva Giddings and Shabaki Gajnabi went on to play international cricket for the West Indies, while Askhay Homraj and Dominic Rikhi played one day international cricket for the United States. Other players include Rewick Batson, Esuan Crandon, Khemraj Mahadeo, Delbert Hicks, Kelvon Anderson, Junior Sinclair, Abdel Fudadin, Jeremy Sandia, Murphy LaRose, Mahendra Gopilall, Jonathan Rampersaud, Parmanand Narine, Brandon Prasad, Matthew Pottaya and Arif Chan.
The company also sponsors a series of activities for the club, including annual magazine, cricket academy, Christmas Village, Say No/Say Yes Campaign, and charity programmes. Special mention was made of General Manager Rajendra Ganga, for his support and advice over the years; and Foster committed the teams to upholding the high level of standard set in the past.
The RHTY&SC has, since its formation in 1990, won over one hundred cricket tournaments at different levels, won five Guyana Club of the Year awards, and has also produced over 100 players for either the Berbice, Guyana, or West Indies Cricket teams.
Meanwhile, another sponsor, Panthera Solutions, last Thursday handed over a cheque valued at three hundred and twenty thousand dollars. This sponsorship would assist the cricket section of the club to obtain cricket development gear, balls for practice sessions, and trophies/medals for community-related programmes. These include Tribute to Heroes, Tribute to Outstanding Mothers, Tribute to Medical Workers, and Outstanding Teachers Awards.
Vice President Mark Papannah expressed thanks to the management of the company, especially Andrew Dinsdale and Ray McLean.
Panthera Solutions is a joint business venture between Guyanese company Farfan and Mendes Ltd and Crosbie, a Canadian company. The company employs mostly Guyanese workers, and serves the oil and gas sector in Guyana. Foster noted that the company has been on board since 2020, and has sponsored the annual youth magazine, youth information booklet and annual Christmas Village/Charity Programmes.
McLean, in brief remarks, stated that his company was introduced to the RHTY&SC by its business partner Farfan and Mendes Ltd, and it is delighted to assist. Foster indicated that the RHTY&SC in 2022 would be placing special emphasis on the development of its junior players, and making sure they understand the role of a sporting ambassador.