WHEN the St Mary Major League kicks off today with a double-header at the Westmoreland Oval in Annotto Bay, the once sponsorless parish football association will have a new title sponsor, McKay Security, which answered the cry of President James Pearson with a $1-million cheque.

“Dr Jason McKay will hand over the cheque at Sunday’s launch plus the $500,000 committed by Member of Parliament Robert Montague,” an ecstatic Pearson said on Friday, disclosing that the parish’s top competition would now be named the McKay Security St Mary FA Major League.

McKay Security, who recently completed signing sponsorship deals worth $9.6 million with the Kingston and St Andrew, and St Thomas football associations, including broadcast agreements, a joint nutritional programme with KFC and added cash incentive for winners, will also field a team in the St Mary FA’s Under-17 League.

“I want Jamaica, as a country, to have the best Under-17 players constantly in competition, making their way into the parish’s senior teams and, eventually, the national programme,” McKay said, adding that a team with players from outside the traditional communities will help to drive competition and excitement among juniors, a point, which found favour with Pearson.

“It is welcoming and will add to the whole development process of the parish, which will be an added assistance to the St Mary FA,” he said. “McKay Security fielding a team will definitely add to the excitement and force the clubs to ensure they are fielding the best against the ‘town’ ‘ballers.”

Pearson, who presided over the St Mary FA without a sponsor for three seasons, said McKay and Montague were godsends.

“I am a faith-based person and I must thank God Almighty for this divine intervention,” he said. “I cannot have enough gratitude. From nothing in three years, we now have a sponsorship package of $1.5m.

“Since that appeal, not only has McKay Security come on board, I have got other calls, which I don’t want to say anything about as yet until they come to fruition.

“We will ensure that everybody gets their mileage. The clubs are happy. For the last three seasons they played without a sponsor, no prize money.”