By Charmaine Austin, Staff Reporter 
CEO for Cable & Wireless West Indies Errald Miller (left) has it all 'figured' out as he presents his company's US$475,000 sponsorship cheque to Jamaica Netball Association president Molly Rhone (right) while national representative Oberon Pitterson shares the occasion. C&W West Indies will sponsor the World Netball Championships to be held in Jamaica from July 11-20 next year. - Contributed
CABLE & WIRELESS West Indies yesterday announced sponsorship of the 11th World Netball Championships (WNC) to the tune of US$475,000 (Approx. J$22m) in what is their biggest contribution to regional sports, outside of cricket.
The company's chief executive officer Errald Miller presented the sponsorship cheque to Jamaica Netball Association president Molly Rhone at a press conference at the Pegasus Hotel. The event will be staged here from July 11-20 next year.
Representatives from the Caymanian, Barbadian and Vincentian netball associations also participated in the briefing via Real Time video conference link-up.
In addition to the direct sponsorship, naming and title sponsor Cable & Wireless will also provide support in the form of web hosting, mobile, fixed telephones and data services.
Two commemorative calling cards featuring the flags of the top six countries and the C&W logo will also be produced to mark the event. Distribution starts three months ahead of the championships.
Part proceeds from the sale of the cards will go towards the national associations in the Caribbean region.
"Because of our proud tradition of sponsorship of sports in the region we thought it only logical to play a major and pivotal role in the staging of these Championships.
"Cable & Wireless is fully aware of the importance attached to the staging of this event and of the popularity of netball in the Caribbean. Our main objective is to ensure that the 2003 World Netball Championships is staged in a manner befitting an event of this nature, to demonstrate to the world that this region is capable of performing at world class levels both on and off the field of play," Miller said.
As the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) is funded by WNC sponsorship, the money will be split in three parts. IFNA gets a third, hosts Jamaica another third and the rest to be divided among the other participating countries.
Approximately 74 countries play netball. More than 25 are expected to come here for the championships that will be played on three courts - two in a new arena to be built at the National Stadium Complex and the other in the existing arena.
"We are very grateful for this sponsorship and are pleased that a promise has become a reality. The money will go a long way towards helping us stage a successful WNC 2003," Rhone said.
