SANDALS NEGRIL Beach Resort and Spa will continue their sponsorship of the Hanover Division One football competition which kicks off this afternoon with one game.
Last year's division two champions Haughton Meadows and Claremount United will clash at the Watson Taylor Park in Lucea.
The announcement was made by the Resort's General Manager, Baldwin Powell at a press luncheon earlier this week.
In his address, Powell said he felt Sandals Negril had a responsibility and was obliged to continue their sponsorship, despite what he termed, 'the greatest challenges currently facing the tourism industry in Jamaica', referring to the atrocities of September 11, 2001 in the United States.
"We are very pleased considering the constraints and hardships we face, we were able to make ends meet and come up with this value of sponsorship. The majority which will be disbursed in cash, not only to sustain the continuance of the competition, but to guarantee the growth of football in the parish," Powell said.
Sandals Negril will sponsor this year's competition to the tune of half a million dollars ($500,000.00). There are 14 teams participating for the championship honours with the winning team set to earn close to one hundred thousand dollar ($100,000) in total incentives throughout the season.
Also present was Horace Reid, general secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation, who gave the keynote address.
In his address, Reid lauded the community outreach programmes of Sandals Negril not only for their sponsorship of sports, but also their involvement in environmental education and social projects.
He also made special mention of the efforts of the Association's president, Lorraine Scringer, the only female in that capacity in the island.
