FCB take over Sports Foundation

THE West Indian Tobacco Company Limited yesterday announced that they were handing over their prestigious Sports Foundation and annual awards function to First Citizens Bank. The decision was made public yesterday by Anthony Phillip, managing — director of WITCO at a media conference held at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain. Also in attendance were Larry Howai, Chief Executive Officer of FCB and Mrs Terry Young Sing, chairperson of the WITCO Sports Foundation which was established 40 years ago. Director of Kanbi Creations Keith Carter introduced the feature speakers. Phillips said the hand-over was a response to changing public expectations about the responsible marketing of tobacco products and the voluntary adoption by the company of the International Tobacco Products Marketing Standards (IMS).

‘‘Given the controversy surrounding tobacco sponsorship and recognising that the Sports Foundation impacts significantly on a wide range of stakeholders, the company solicited the views of several of them in order to determine a way forward, ’’Phillip said. “The company believes that the interest of the Sports Foundation and its valuable contribution to the development of sports in Trinidad and Tobago would be best served by handing over sponsorship to a new sponsor that would continue the work of the Sports Foundation,” Phillip said yesterday. He said that over the years WITCO had contributed “several millions of dollars” in establishing the Sports Foundation to provide for more organised promotion of sports in Trinidad and Tobago. The Sports Foundation, Phillip said had built a reputation for excellence and innovation. Apart from hosting the awards function for the past 40 years, the foundation has also hosted sports seminars, developed a Web site to showcase the achievements of national athletes and created the country’s first Hall of Fame at the Hasely Crawford Stadium at Mucurapo.

He said the final awards function under the auspices of WITCO will be staged on Friday at the Hilton Trinidad  in Port-of-Spain and control will be officially handed over in July. However Phillip pledged his support so that the transition would be smooth and would allow FCB the full benefit of the expertise and human resources that moulded the Sports Foundation into a national institution. FCB’s Howai in his turn said the bank was honoured to accept the opportunity to “further the nation’s sense of achievement and aspiration.” He gave the assurance that the Sports Foundation will be in safe hands and made it clear that the first priority will be to maintain excellent standards and goals already in place. “It will be business as usual with every effort being made to carry the torch onward in the same worthy manner it has been carried so far,” Howai said yesterday.

An emotional Young Sing praised the support of WITCO over the past 40 years. “The company created us, supported us in our efforts and consistently gave us autonomy to be creative and the freedom to be pioneers and innovators in sport,” Young Sing said. She said that she looked forward to working with First Citizens Bank to improving the work of the Sports Foundation and building a strong partnership for the betterment of sports. Over the past months WITCO have been under pressure from the Cancer Society, headed by Dr George Laquis to relinquish control of the prestigious Sports Foundation which has over the years offered the widest recognition in local sports. Among the recipients have been world class sprinter Ato Boldon, star batsman and West Indies captain Brian Lara, the late netballer Jean Pierre, Olympic gold medallist Hasely Crawford, sprinter Esther Hope, Leela Calpu for table-tennis, golfer Maria Nunes and badminton player Beena Narwani.