Office of the Prime Minister supports East Bank Inter-Village football

The upcoming East Bank Inter-Village Football Competition has received a high-profile boost after the Office of the Prime Minister confirmed its financial backing for the tournament.

Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McKoy, handed over a sponsorship cheque to Sports Extra’s Franklin Wilson during a ceremony on Friday, describing the event as a vital “stage of opportunity” for Guyana’s rising stars.

The tournament, which features a massive $ 3 million prize pool, aims to discover the next generation of national talent from the East Bank Demerara corridor.

Speaking at the presentation, Minister McKoy underlined the government’s focus on using sport as a tool for “holistic development.”

“The East Bank Inter-Village tournament can create a structured space to refine raw ability and discover future national players,” McKoy said. “It promotes healthy rivalry that strengthens community bonds.”

The Minister pointed to the nationwide construction and refurbishment of sports facilities as evidence of a “continuum of investment” in youth development and social cohesion.

The competition offers prize money totalling in excess of $ 3 million, along with trophies and individual accolades for Best Goalkeeper, Most Valuable Player and Highest Goalscorer.

The first prize is set at $ 1 million, while the second, third, and fourth prizes are $500,000, $250,000, and $150,000, respectively.

Beyond the team prizes, individual accolades, including Best Goalkeeper, Most Valuable Player, and Highest Goalscorer, are also up for grabs.

Villages set to participate are Agricola, Grove, Friendship, Soesdyke, Timehri, Kuru Kururu, Swan, St. Cuthbert’s Mission, Circuitville, Samatta Point, Kaneville, Mocha, Herstelling, Diamond, Hauraruni and Yarrowkabra.