BHP Billiton $$ for athletes

The Australian company, which has an impressive office at Invaders Bay off the Audrey Jeffers Highway, Mucurapo announced yesterday that they will assume the title sponsorship of the Trinidad and Tobago team going to Melbourne next March.

This will involve a US$100,000 cash contribution which will ensure that the travel expenses for each member of the 150-strong team will be adequately taken care off.

In addition BHP Billiton will give US $25,000 for the development of sports programmes in the company’s operating communities in Guayaguayare, Mayaro, Toco and Tobago.

Details of the sponsorship were given yesterday at a media conference at the BHP Billiton’s Invaders Bay Tower and present were their president Vincent Pereira; Dr Carla Noel-Mendez, Director of External Affairs; Australian High Commissioner John Michell; and Larry Romany, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee.

In attendance also was Brian Lewis, secretary of the TTOC.

"The company’s sponsorship of the Trinidad and Tobago team for the Commonwealth Games which is being held in the city where our headquarters are located, Melbourne is a wonderful show of support for the Games with a long and respected tradition," Pereira said yesterday.

"Additionally, our decision to sponsor the Trinidad and Tobago team is tremendous which will both assist the team and future athletes from the communities in which we operate in Trinidad and Tobago," he said.

Romany welcomed BHP Billiton’s gesture yesterday and said Trinidad and Tobago is poised to make a big impact Down Under with representatives in at least 11 disciplines.

He said he has been assured that world rated sprinters Darrel Brown and Marc Burns and other members of the 4X100 metres relay team will be taking the starter’s orders in Melbourne.

Romany said also that shot putter Cleopatra Borell and hammer thrower Candice Scott have indicated their intention to be part of the Trinidad and Tobago team also.

A strong women’s 4X100 metres team is also likely to stake their claim in the Games which are open for countries who are part of the Commonwealth, a grouping of former British colonies.

"We expect our sprinters to be among the medals and it would be a feather in their cap to be Commonwealth champions," said Romany yesterday.

High Commissioner Michell, recently back from Australia said that organisers of the Commonwealth Games are pleased with the progress made so far to host the sports fiesta in his hometown.

He said the Aussies have learnt from staging the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and the plans for the Commonwealth Games involved extensive new construction and refurbishing of existing facilities.

Michell said he was especially impressed with the forward thinking design of the Athletes Village, which after the Commonwealth Games will be sold as modern housing apartments.

Romany said that it was especially significant that BHP Billiton should come on board at this time as they were focussed on developing the human resources of the country and their contribution is certain to redound to the benefit of the young people.

He was also high in praise for the planned community projects as he said it will fill a vacuum in the primary schools where there is no structured programme to encourage and develop young sports talent.

Romany said the BHP Billiton involvement is a recipe for success as they already have qualified people involved at the grassroots level in the communities in which they operate.