“Mr. Elquemedo Tonito Willet has been duly honored with the renaming of the Grove Park in his honor and I am immensely proud of Mr. Kieth Kayamba Gumbs,” says Lindsay Grant
Basseterre, St.Kitts, August 4th 2010 (PAM Secretariat Press Release) - The Leader of the Opposition People’s Action Movement Mr. Lindsay Grant is applauding and praising the recent success of our National Football Icon Mr. Kieth “Kayamba” Gumbs in the Indonesian Super Cup League Finale.
“I am immensely proud of Kayamba’s continued success and performances in the Indonesian League, the dynamic Opposition Party leader stated. “He has Captained his Sriwijaya FC to an unprecedented 3rd straight Indonesian Cup Title as well as his being awarded and recognized by fans and colleagues as the Best Player in the Indonesian league through the MVP award which he has been awarded. This speaks to his talent, his mettle, his fortitude and his commitment,” the PAM Leader continued.
Mr. Grant continued, “Kayamba continues to do his home town of Newtown, our country and indeed our entire Caribbean region proud on the international football scene as one of the most successful and popular athletes in Asia.”
The Political Leader also extended congratulations to Mr. Elqomedo Tonito Willet on the renaming of the Grove Park in Nevis in his honor.
“I must also join the rest of the federation in extending on behalf of myself and the party I am proud to lead, heartiest congratulations to arguably our country’s first national sports hero Mr. Elqomedo Tonito Willet who has been duly honored with the renaming of the Grove Park in his honor.” “Willet not only paved the way for other Nevisian cricket test players including Derrick Parry, Stuart Williams and Keith Aurtherton but also West Indies Legends like Sir Viv Richards, Andy Roberts, Richie Richardson, Curtly Ambrose and all the remaining Leeward Islands and Combined islands West Indies Test greats,” Grant Continued.
Kayamba’s Sriwijaya FC won their 3rd straight Indonesian Cup Title with a 2-1 victory over Arema Malang FC after Kayamba opened the scoring with his 14th goal of the season.
Mr. Grant stated that the development of Sports has always been a vision of the People’s Action Movement.
“It was the People’s Action Movement under the visionary leadership of Dr. the Rt. Hon. Sir Kennedy Simmonds that set the foundation for local sports with the sports infrastructural revolution that took place in the 80’s with the construction of sporting facilities in almost every village in the country,” said Grant. “Every village could either boast of a cricket pitch, football field, basketball court, netball court or tennis court or in some cases all and despite the ridicule by the Labor opposition the PAM persevered and today we say the fruits of that vision with the likes of Kayamba, Kim Collins, Atiba Harris, Tiandra Ponteen, Virgil Hodge and others. ”
Elquomedo Willet was the first player for the Leeward Islands to be selected to the West Indies team . He played in five Tests from 1973 to 1974.
During New Zealand's tour of the West Indies in 1972, Willet is considered one of the best left-arm finger-spinners in West Indies cricket history.
