TWENTY-eight-year-old Manchester route taxi driver Othneil Hyman was on Monday named the grand prize winner of $5 million in the Digicel ‘Loaded Christmas’ promotion.

Representatives from Digicel and financial group Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB) journeyed to Kendall square in the parish to present an elated Hyman with his cheque and some needed advice on ensuring that he remains a millionaire for very long.

“Winning this money is so timely for me,” said Hyman.

“I was planning to start a partner this month to buy my own taxi as the one I drive now belongs to someone else. Now thanks to Digicel Loaded Christmas I can save that money and still buy my car. I also haven’t seen my father in a while, so I definitely want to visit him overseas,” he added.

He was grateful, too, for the financial advice.

“I’m also very happy that Digicel brought JMMB to give me tips on how I can invest and plan for my future”.

Imani Duncan, Group marketing manager at JMMB, commended Digicel for “taking this holistic approach toward their customers and therefore contacting us to provide this type of specialised assistance for the winner”.

“Othneil will not only receive the grand prize draw of $5 Million, but just as important for his financial sustainability, he will receive financial advice and active partnership to ensure he is truly ‘Fully Loaded’ and begins 2011 with a solid financial footing,” she said. “Through this partnership, JMMB will support Othneil by providing him with free expert financial planning advice and relevant savings solutions including, investment and re-financing options and overall management of the winnings to meet his short-, medium- and long-term financial goals.”

In the meantime, Digicel head of marketing, Donovan White described the promotion as a “phenomenal success”.

“(It) has undoubtedly fulfilled our objectives, which were to continue to thank our customers for being a part of Jamaica’s bigger, better network, to give our customers everything they needed to stay connected with their friends and family and to help make a positive change in our customers lives”.

The one-month Loaded Christmas promotion — which began on November 12 last year and ended last Thursday — saw a total of 200 customers winning $100,000 each, over 3,000 customers winning credit daily, plus customers winning other exciting prizes and free gifts in the telecommunications company’s postpaid and prepaid, Digicel 4G Broadband and BlackBerry offers.