Digicel wants to support Warriors and Windies

A 49th minute header from national defender Dennis Lawrence in Manama on Wednesday, powered TT to a 1-0 victory over Bahrain and a spot in Germany in 2006. Some members of the victorious Warriors returned home on Thursday to a hero’s welcome and a promise by Prime Minister Patrick Manning that Government will decide on a suitable way to thank the national team for their historic achievement. In the interim, Manning said Government will ensure that national coach Leo Beenhakker continues to have a job.

Speaking after a ceremony at Price Plaza in Chaguanas, to demonstrate that its GSM network is "ready to go," Digicel (TT) CEO Stephen Brewer hinted of the company’s offer to assist the Warriors on the road to Germany. Now that the Warriors have qualified for the World Cup, Brewer stated:

"We would be delighted to support the national team and we hope that if the opportunity comes up again, Digicel would be seriously considered." Addressing victory celebrations at Piarco International Airport for the Warriors on Thursday, FIFA vice-president Jack Warner said there was considerable work to be done over the next six months to prepare the team for next year’s finals and it would require the support of all.

Asked if Digicel had the financial resources to simultaneously sponsor the West Indies cricket team (currently on tour in Australia) and the Warriors, Brewer replied, "I think that Digicel has the corporate depth."

Expressing the company’s love of sponsoring sport, arts, culture and community initiatives wherever it does business, Brewer said Digicel had the fastest growing mobile phone network in the Caribbean and would soon be operating in 15 countries in the region. He added that TT was "well funded" and many local banks were "part of that funding."

Declaring that it was Digicel’s hope to become a greater part of the national fabric of TT, and in reference to its ongoing interconnection feud with TSTT, Brewer said, "I hope that we are as successful as the national team’s effort in getting to the World Cup in Germany."

Meanwhile, TSTT yesterday fired its latest salvo in the feud with the publication of a series of paid advertisements that urged Digicel to "leave our football out of this." TSTT, which has been providing sponsorship for the Warriors since the start of the 2006 World Cup campaign, stated in the ad, "You are well aware that the interconnection process goes beyond a simple box. Your attempt to bring the pride and passion our nation feels right now for our football into this complex issue is uncalled for. We welcome fair competition, but leave TT football out of your games."