LIME is pumping more than $6 million into the four-day Inter-Secondary Schools Association (ISSA) Boys' and Girls' Athletic Championships, which began yesterday at the National Stadium.

The telecoms company, which is the Caribbean's only full-service communications provider, has given approximately $5 million to ISSA for the staging of this year's meet, marking the continuation of a three-year sponsorship deal which began in 2007.

In addition, LIME will be giving prizes and awards valued at more than $1 million to the meet's top performers and schools. The prizes include mobile phones for all the athletes and relay teams that place in the top three in LIME-sponsored races, computers and gift certificates.

LIME has also launched a special Champs text promotion, which allows students and other members of the public to text the name of the school they are supporting to 444-4204. The school that gets the most votes will receive $250,000 from the company.

Higher level of sponsorship

"This year we're taking our Champs sponsorship to a higher level and we're going beyond just helping to finance the meet itself, to supporting the schools that nurture and groom our young athletes," said Devon Hunter, LIME's sponsorship manager, in a news release.

"In addition to the prizes we'll be giving to the students and the schools as part of our sponsorship, we've also had an internal programme among our staff which has given our employees the chance to win money for their old schools, and through this programme an additional $400,000 will be distributed among various schools as well," he added.

Winners of LIME-sponsored races, which include the 100m Class One for girls, the sprint medley for girls and the 200m for Class One boys, will receive their mobile phones during the respective medal ceremonies.

The computers, gifts certificates, financial contributions from LIME's employees and the funds raised in the Champs text promotion will be given to the schools after the meet.