Sporting events such as the Caribbean Chess Carnival provide many benefits to players, coaches, clubs, parents, communities “and the list goes on.”
So said Gillian Benjamin, strategic marketing and sales manager of First Citizens Asset Management Ltd when she addressed the prize-giving ceremony of the tournament held at the Queen’s Park Oval last week.
Through the four-day international event, she noted, “we had a chance to meet people from differing backgrounds, cultures and perspectives but all with a common interest, a love for this game that is a true match of the minds, a sport for the intellectual.”
Benjamin said her company was proud to sponsor the Chess Carnival for the third consecutive year “as chess is a natural fit for First Citizens Asset Management. “Just like this great game, asset management is about planning, developing strategies and taking calculated risks so as ways to achieving your goals.
“Moves are made with forethought and precision and while we may want an immediate result we may have to be patient in order to achieve ultimate success,” she pointed out. “We too, as investment managers, must carefully analyse and assess the situation before making our moves.” The tournament, she said, had been an exciting and intense four days of competition with some surprises and some expected outcomes. “It has also been an opportunity to learn, grow and make a few new friends. We applaud the winners but we also recognize and congratulate all the players for their enthusiastic participation which must have contributed to the success of the tournament.”
She complimented the organizing committee of the T&T Chess Foundation for “an excellent job” in putting together thje tournament. She added: “We thank you for allowing First Citizens Asset Management to play a role in this event. It has been our pleasure to support the development of the youth of our nation through this sponsorship and we look forward to forging a long lasting relationship; with the T&T Chess Foundation.”
The tournament attracted 120 players from across the region, including Barbados, Cuba, Suriname, The Netherlands and Dominican Republic.