The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Jamaican and Haitian championship football clubs are coming to town for the first in a series of soccer matches.

The Bahamas Football Association, through the sponsorship of BTC and the support of the National Sports Authority, will host the Montego Bay United Football Club against the Don Bosco Football Club at 8pm Friday (July 29) in the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

“Haiti and Jamaica are two of the premier football clubs in the region,” said Anton Sealey. “We have dubbed this the Caribbean Club Championships and the winner of this match will play the winner of the Trinidad Club League later this year.

“Nesly LaFleur is a member of the Montego Bay United Football Club, but unfortunately he won’t be here because he’s with the Bahamas national beach soccer team training in Switzerland for the next six weeks.”

Sealey said it’s unfortunate that because of the timing of putting the elimination tournament together, the Bahamas won’t be able to play right now because the national team is off getting ready for the World Cup Beach Soccer Tournament here next year.

But he noted that just before the Haitian-Jamaican game, the BFA would showcase their collegiate players who are home against a selected side, giving the fans a two-for-one match next week.

Sealey said he appreciates the support from Leon Williams, whom he called the “sporting cultural CEO” and Lynden Maycock, the chairman of the NSA, for getting the facility ready.

During the evening, there will be a number of performances to keep the fans entertained in and outside of the stadium.

Also at the halftime, the Humming Bird Dancers, an arm of the Humming Bird Association of Jamaican residents in the Bahamas, are expected to perform. Sharon Purser-Cooper is the cultural director who leads the dancers. A group of Haitian dancers will also perform.

Leon Williams, the chief executive officer of BTC, who attended along with a number of executives, including Eldri Ferguson-Mackey and Indira Collie, the public relations manager, said BTC has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with the sporting community and they have always “placed our money where our mouth is and stepped up to the plate in support of many major sporting initiatives in this country.

“Just a year ago, we sat right in this room as we announced a $250,000 sponsorship to the IAAF/BTC World Relays. We have title sponsored numerous events, including the High School Nationals and Carifta and we are committed to sponsoring Carifta again next year.”

Williams said as their responsibility as a corporate citizen, they reinvest portions of their earnings back into the community and with a large block of Caribbean nationals rising in the Bahamas, especially from Haiti and Jamaica, they are elated to sponsor this tournament.

“Both Haiti and Jamaica are fanatics about football, which we call soccer,” Williams stressed. “So we are delighted to join the National Sports Authority in making this event a success.”

As a part of their partnership with FLOW TV, Williams said all territories in the region will be able to watch the soccer match live on channel 104 or on BTC website www.btcbahamas.com/btctv.

Additionally, Williams said on Thursday BTC will be hold another blue letter day at BTC when they endorse one of the major professional athlete.

Meanwhile, Lynden Maycock said the Haitian/Jamaican soccer match up would generate a lot of excitement and enthusiasm among soccer fans and the community at large.

“It’s another demonstration of the National Sports Authority’s ability to host a variety of different major sporting events at our multi-purpose facilities here at the National Sporting Complex,” he said.

“We are also expecting to get great support from the Haitians and Jamaicans residing in the Bahamas and we will be able to once again demonstrate that the NSA is equipped and ready to produce high quality sporting events for the general public.”

Maycock said they are elated to be partnering with BTC once again to make this event a success.