Saturday November 02, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 9
BEYOND THE GOAL POST Branding is an important part of business today. A good brand can stand any business in good stead and help the global competitiveness of a product or service. It can also do wonders for a country’s economy as has been the case with branded football tournaments in Europe. Over the past twentythree years, a brand was developed in Guyana. It was a good brand and could have done more wonders for the local business community and for the country. This past week that brand was put to sleep. The same brand that had placed Guyana on the map was recognizable as a Caribbean product of repute had the potential to go much further. Sadly this was not to be as it became the victim of a corporate war in Guyana. For twenty-three years the Kashif and Shanghai annual football tournament was held. It had been developed into a highly popular and successful brand. At one stage, businesses were lining up to be associated with it, recognizing the value of this
year-end tournament to their profits. The tournament was by far the best organized sporting tournament in the Caribbean. It was run by individuals who understood football and understood the business of football. They brought together numerous sponsors under a single franchise, on scale never before seen in either corporate or sporting Guyana. More importantly, the organizers understood how to take a tournament, brand it and use that brand to move the tournament to a higher level. The Kashif and Shanghai tournament first began in Linden and the finals were always held in Linden. After a while it became too big for Linden. There was inadequate seating capacity at the football ground in Linden where the New Year’s final was held. The tournament had outgrown the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground. It was never the case that the organizers abandoned Linden. They did not. Spectator interest became so high that a larger facility was needed to accommodate this
Meter reading continues to be a challenge due to locked gates The Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) is once again highlighting a major challenge associated with its billing process. The Power Company laments that Meter Readers are unable to read meters, due to locked gates. The utility company is therefore reminding customers that meter readers for all served areas should be allowed to do their jobs between 6:00 hrs to 17:00 hrs from Sunday to Sunday, to ensure accuracy of bills. According to a release from GPL’s Public Relations Department, failure to facilitate this process will result in estimated bills. “GPL advises all customers to have their meters read regularly to avoid such consequences” the company warned. The utility company stated that in cases where customers are not at home or the meters are not visible to the meter reader, they should make special provision to have their meters read. Further, customers
- GPL experiencing difficulty assisting the meter reading process are encouraged to inform GPL Billing Services. Previously, when GPL presented its annual report to the Public Utility Commission (PUC), the company officials explained that their nonmaximum bills based on actual readings continue to pose a significant challenge for the company. It was also noted that among other factors, an increased level of crime, whereby bandits posed as GPL meter reading employees impacted people’s effort to safeguard their property.
tournament which became a national event. But as it grew larger and as tens of thousands flocked to see the matches, as the brand improved, the tournament became the victim of a corporate war. And that is the tragedy of this tournament. The very corporate interests that the tournament served and could have continued to serve ended up killing the tournament. The Kashif and Shanghai tournament was not killed because of a mere competing tournament. It was not killed because of the ugly politics within the football fraternity, even though that helped to administer to final rites. The tournament was not killed because of a split in the
loyalty of fans. It was not killed because a youth movement associated with the main opposition party had shamelessly called for a boycott of the tournament. It was killed because two beverage giants chose to go to war against each other to capture the market of football fans and because, firstly, of the amount of money that was being poured into this commercial war. It was killed, secondly, because those responsible for administering the affairs of football in Guyana find it difficult to extricate themselves from this commercial war between beverage giants. In all of this, the football fans are pawns. They are being used to side with one beverage giant against the
other. And they have allowed themselves to be so scissored. But it is not football alone that has lost and will continue to lose as a result of the organizers having to end the reign of this highly successful brand known as the Kashif and Shanghai tournament. The whole country has lost because this was a brand that could have done more wonders for Guyana and in fact could have laid the foundation in the years ahead for the creation of a professional football league. It did not have to be this way. There is no reason why the two major year-end tournaments could not have been held together. In Europe where football is a billiondollar industry, three or more major tournaments are run off
together with each making adjustments for the holding of the others. Such accommodations proved elusive to those entrusted with administering football in Guyana. This is why football will not go anywhere. If beverage giants can lead to the killing of one of the best brands this country has ever produced and if football administrators sit down and see this happen, then how far can they be expected to take football in Guyana.
Gold declaration stands at 438,000 ounces Guyana’s mining industry has recorded a declaration of 438,000 ounces of gold, representing a 20 percent increase over the same period last year. The increase in activities has led to greater job opportunities and other positive spinoff effects to the economy, said Robert Persaud, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment. During a press briefing yesterday, Minister Persaud said that mining contributes to the country’s foreign exchange, its Gross Domestic Product, and is a significant export. Because of the environmental impact of mining, Government has been working with miners and other stakeholders to see greater compliance. Persaud said mining is the key factor for the forest change seen. He reiterated
Government’s commitment to have miners practise sustainable mining. In fact, Government and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) have been working to constantly improve sustainable mining across Guyana. Persaud is conscious that this would require tougher
monitoring and enforcement as GGMC has been doing in a number of areas. But, for a wider reach greater
collaboration is needed between key stakeholders such as miners’ association and conservation groups. He noted that reviews are being done to the code of practice in terms of waste water management and mercury usage. The issue of land reclamation is also being looked at with urgency. Various options such as engaging large companies to utilize their resources either through contractor or collaboration are being explored. Besides employing new technologies in the mining sector, the mining school is created to enhance the capacities of miners.