The May Day Sports Gala Dinner and Award was on Saturday night held in grand style at a local hotel in Kololi where workers including the Minister of Youth and Sports converged to wine and dine.
The 2016 event was successfully held on the 1st May at the Independence Stadium in Bakau where thousands of workers drawn from 72 public and private institutions and companies gathered to observe the day through mass sports.
Speaking at the event, Marcel Mendy, Executive Director of the National Sports Council said he was quite happy with the increasing number of participants in the annual event.
Even though the award committee has been highly praised for a well-organised event, Mendy promised a much more organised event in the future and thanked their partners and participating institutions for making the event a success.
He congratulated all the winning institutions, saying there was no loser in the event and saying he hopes to see a new revelation next year. He finally thanked the organising committee for the selfless services rendered towards the event.
Ebrima Garba Cham, Secretary General of The Gambia Workers’ Union also spoke at the event.
The event was characterised by presentation of certificates to deserving institutions and individuals. There was also presentation of cash prizes to May Day Sports event winning institutions.
Cheques for D12, 000, D11, 000 and D10, 000 were respectively presented to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners of the group category.
In Group I, the Ministry of Justice finished third position with D10, 000; Ministry of Petroleum and Energy finished second position with D11, 000; and Ministry of Higher Education finished first position with D12, 000.
In Group H, GIA finished 3rd position and received D10, 000; GRA took second with D11, 000; Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education finished 1st position with D12, 000.
In Group G, MOICI finished third place with D10, 000, NAWEC finished second position with D11, 000 and SSHFC came out 1st position with D12, 000.
In Group F, the Ministry of Defence finished 3rd position with D10, 000; Gambia Prison Service finished 2nd position with D11, 000 and The Gambia Police Force finished 1st position with D12, 000.
In Group E, GPA finished 3rd place with D10, 000, Gamtel/Gamcel finished 2nd position with D11, 000 and Gambia Armed Forces finished 1st position with D12, 000.
In Group D, GPPA finished 3rd place with D10, 000; Gambia National Library finished 2nd place with D11, 000 while Africell finished 1st position with D12, 000.
In Group C, Gambega finished 3rd place with D10, 000; KMC finished 2nd place with D11, 000; while Child Fund emerged winners with D12,000.
In Group B, KGI finished 3rd place with D10, 000; EFSTH finished 2nd place with D11,000; while GID emerged winners with D12,000.
In Group A, GCAA finished 3rd position with D10, 000; Fire and Rescue Services finished 2nd position with D11, 000; while GNPC finished as winners with D12,000.
Meanwhile, in the overall category, GAF received a cheque for D150, 000 as 3rd place winners, GNPC finished 2nd place with D250,000 and The Gambia Police Force went home with D350,000 as overall winners.
Ebrima Jatta of The Gambia Armed Forces emerged winner in the greasy pole and received a cheque for D5, 000. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs won Best Dressed Team award.
The Gambia Armed Forces women’s volleyball and The Gambia Police Force men’s volleyball teams received a cheque for D15, 000 each as winners of the volleyball competitions.
by Alieu Ceesay