Jamaica Football Federation gets 27-seater bus Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

Following an appeal from Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts for more corporate support for the country’s national teams, JAMECO Equipment Company Limited (JAMECO), a subsidiary of the Stewart’s Automotive Group, has stepped up to the plate.

The company on Tuesday sponsored a 27-seater King Long bus, valued at $7.3 million and branded in the national colours, to the JFF. It was handed over at the Jaguar Land Rover Showroom on Arthur Wint Drive in Kingston.

“The JFF had lost their last bus, and they didn’t have anything to transport the teams. We became aware of their appeal to corporate Jamaica to support the teams, and we had a vehicle here that we thought would suit their needs,” said JAMECO General Manager Brian Pengelley.

Through this arrangement with the JFF, JAMECO has become the official transportation sponsor of Jamaica’s national football teams.

For a year, JFF will provide a driver and fuel, while the bus will be fully insured and maintained by JAMECO with an option to renew.

Pengelley is hopeful that the company’s gesture will inspire others to come on board.

“We are hoping that the rest of corporate Jamaica will see that we are jumping in to support and will bring to the party whatever they can. For us, it’s a matter of nationalism and playing our part in building Jamaica and its sporting fraternity,” he said.

Newly appointed JFF General Secretary Dennis Chung expressed his gratitude for the donation.

“The JFF is grateful to Stewart’s for the donation of the bus, which they have also graciously fully wrapped in the JFF colours,” he said.

He added: “This will get a far way in assisting the various national football teams as transportation is one of the most important ingredients in developing a successful football programme. Immediately, this provides assistance to the senior women’s team, which has two matches against Paraguay on the 10th and 13th of November, as they prepare for their historic second consecutive qualification for the World Cup next year.”

This recent backing by Stewarts Automotive Group is the latest manifestation of its support for the JFF.

Since 1998, when Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz historically qualified for the FIFA World Cup in France, the group has been providing transportation and financial support to the JFF. In 2012, under a sponsorship valued at $30 million, Stewart’s Automotive supplied the JFF with two vehicles.

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