Done Deal!

It is final. The Executive of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association (SVGNA) has switched allegiance in terms of the sponsor of the annual national club netball tournament.{{more}}

After thirteen years of sponsorship by Cable & Wireless, when the tournament opens on Sunday, April 13, the new sponsor of the premier club netball tournament will be Digicel.

President of the SVGNA Doris Mc Intosh confirmed this with SEARCHLIGHT last Wednesday afternoon, via telephone.

“We had to make a hard decision, so we decided to go with Digicel,” Mc Intosh said tersely.

“We just needed to move on,” she added.

Decidedly cautious and selective about divulging information, Mc Intosh did not go into details as to the reason(s) for moving on.

Neither did McIntosh disclose the level of sponsorship when pressed to do so.

She, however, promised to make a press release “later” on the matter.

But the decision did not go down well with at least two members of the executive. Public Relations Officer Natasha Medford tendered her resignation last Saturday on formally learning of the switch. First Vice President Sonja Lewis, who at the last election in February challenged Mc Intosh for the presidency, has followed suit.

Mc Intosh also confirmed knowledge of the resignations.

Reports are that Cable & Wireless had suggested to the executive to scale down the 2008 club tournament and return to the full fledged format in 2009.

Also a part of the former sponsors suggested deal was assisting the Association in the reformation of the sport, which in recent times has dipped significantly in returns of national outfits and spectator appeal.

In addition, the former sponsor offered to assist in the setting up of a much needed secretariat for the Association, and to part fund its telecommunications cost.

The pending change of sponsorship relation was first brought to the fore by this publication in late 2006, when it was obvious that the Association was seeking an alternative partnership.(RT)