Press Releases
April - June 2010

• Republic Bank Anchors Dalton Grant Academy Track Programme with Timely Contribution
• Visualizing and Verbalizing
• Ready for Dallas
• Republic Cup Youth Football Camp Gets Underway in Barataria

BEST ALTHETE:- Displaying impeccable resilience, character and teamwork, Phillip Coker, receives the Republic Bank Athlete of the Camp 2010 trophy, from Republic Bank's General Manager, Group Marketing and Communications, Anna María-García-Brooks, at the prize giving ceremony which concluded the 5 day Republic Bank RightStart Cup Youth Football Camp, held at the Bank's Staff Sports Club, Barataria.

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, April 13, 2010: A shocked expression lit up 16 year old Phillip Coker’s face after being named the Republic Bank Athlete of the Camp 2010, at the closing ceremony of the Republic Bank RightStart Cup Youth Football Camp held on Saturday April 10, 2010.

Phillip was one of the 56 participants, ranging from 14-17 years old, who faithfully journeyed to the Bank's Staff Sports Club in Barataria during the five day Camp to learn the art, skills and techniques of the sport, under the watchful eye of SKHY Football Club’s director, Colin Skeen and several coaches.

Phillip, together with Ryan Telfer delivered the valedictorian's remarks, where they thanked the Bank for the opportunity presented to them to learn and enhance a sport that they love.

"I felt a level of commitment to the game that will serve me for the rest of my live. Thank you Republic Bank," Coker said.

Phillip was in all smiles as he was presented with the trophy from Republic Bank's General Manager, Group Marketing and Communications, Anna María García-Brooks, for his exceptional performance.

The week long camp, which was hosted by the Bank in conjunction with the SHKY Football Club, catered for the needs of the nation's young football enthusiasts in an attempt to help empower them through sport.
In his closing address, Republic Bank's General Manager, Information Technology Management, Anthony Wong, challenged the participants to take one valuable lesson leant at the camp and apply it to their  daily  lives.

"Try hard to live this change and you will see the difference it makes to you and your friends," Wong said.

He also congratulated them on their achievements and encouraged them to continue to strive for excellence.

Earlier in the programme, there was a parenting session, facilitated by Pearl Gonzales, Performance Management Consultant of Element P' Performance Consultants and distribution of certificates to each participant.

There were also special prizes presented to participants who excelled in their various age categories.

(From left) Olympian and Director of the Dalton Grant Academy, Dalton Grant, Republic Bank Group Corporate Communications Manager, Tisha Lee and MP, Princes Town South/Tableland and Minister of Legal Affairs, The Honourable Peter Taylor, pose for a photo at the media launch for the Academy’s track and field programme.

Port of Spain, Trinidad, April 8, 2010: Rural-community children, with dreams of track and field excellence, now have a shot thanks to a new youth-intensive collaboration between Republic Bank Limited and the Dalton Grant Academy, with additional co-sponsors, the UTT and the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs on board.
As part of the Bank’s social investment programme, the Power to Make a Difference, Republic committed $300,000 to the Academy in support of the groundbreaking project aimed at developing young people’s potential in the field by exposing them to the best coaches from the international arena.
The announcement was made at a media launch late last month by Tisha Lee, Republic Group Corporate Communications Manager.
“While our short-term objective is to nurture and improve existing raw talent to an Olympic-qualifying standard, in the long-run, we are also confident that we are doing our part as supporters of more holistic education for young growing bodies and minds as the children will also be studying English, Mathematics & Reading,” Lee said.
Also present at the launch were Dalton Grant, Olympian and Director of the Dalton Grant Academy and the Honorable Peter Taylor, MP Princes Town South/Tableland & Minister of Legal Affairs.

Visualizing and Verbalizing: (from left) Chairman of the Dyslexia Association of Trinidad and Tobago, Cathryn Kelshall; Republic Bank General Manager, Group Marketing and Communications, Anna-María García-Brooks; Neuropsychologist, Dr. Timothy W. Conway and his wife Amy Conway, pose for a shot at the opening of the 2010 Republic Bank Visualizing and Verbalizing Workshop on April 6.  Fully sponsored by Republic’s Power to Make a Difference programme, the four-day Workshop, which takes place at  the St. Agnes Anglican Church Hall in St. James, trains teachers on how to recognise, understand and work better with dyslexic children.  Dr. Conway, who is based in Florida, comes to Trinidad to conduct the workshop, which is organised by the Dyslexia Association of Trinidad and Tobago and hosts 50 teachers each year.

READY FOR DALLAS – Republic Bank General Manager, Information Technology Management, Anthony Wong (middle row, third from left), poses with Director of SKHY Football Club, Colin Skeene and the SHKY U14 Team.  Wong was on hand to wish the footballers a successful journey, equipping them with their kit bags, which were sponsored by Republic Bank. For the third consecutive year, the Club has gone to Texas for the Dr. Pepper Dallas Cup XXXI. The tournament, which kicked off on March 28 and will run until April 4, is one of football’s premier international events. Five technical staff and two parents are accompanying the SHKY Team. Republic has chosen to support the club as part of its commitment to youth empowerment through sport, via its Power to Make a Difference programme.

Port of Spain, Trinidad, Wednesday, April, 7, 2010: “Utilize all the skills that you learn here at this camp and remember to respect your coaches, your peers and more importantly yourself,” this was the advice given by feature speaker, Anil Roberts, at the opening of the Republic Bank RightStart Cup Youth Football Camp at the Bank’s Staff Sports Club, 8th Avenue Extension, Barataria on Tuesday 6 April, 2010.

Roberts, a former Olympic Swimming Coach and television producer, referred to the camp and its 65 participants, as the foundation of T&T football and complimented Republic Bank on its vision.

He urged the youngsters to be disciplined through the course of the five day programme as this was a key factor in their personal development and that of their country.

Joel Hyacenth, Director, SHKY Football Club, also had a few words for campers.
“Football is not only about playing, but about building character,” he said.

Hyacenth, who recently returned from the Dr. Pepper Dallas Cup XXXI with the SHKY Under 14 football team, praised the Bank for the hard work that they have been doing in ensuring that young people received the best training from some of this country’s professional coaches.

In his address, Anthony Wong, Republic Bank’s General Manager, Information Technology Management said; “I must applaud the youngsters here today for choosing to spend time with us at improving your football skills. I also commend you for the level of dedication, commitment to excellence and above all, an unquenchable passion for football.”

He said under the bank’s corporate social investment programme, the Power to Make a Difference, the bank was committed to ensuring that youngsters from every community in Trinidad and Tobago, received the opportunity to take part in a well structured and well organized event.

“It is our vision, our mission and our hope to instill values in youngsters like you- all the while, having fun doing something that you love,” Wong added.

 In its tenth year, the Camp offers its students eight hours of daily training, which includes coordination-drilling, lectures, goal-keeping among others. Its goal is to develop a keen and healthy competitive spirit among the youngsters.

On Saturday April 10, 2010, the Camp comes to an end with a closing ceremony which will take the form of certificate distributions, parenting sessions and a speech from the T&T National Football Team coach Russell Latapy.