As part of efforts towards the successful hosting in The Gambia of the first ever Miss Black USA pageant to be held outside the USA, the vice president and chairperson of the National Organising Committee of the event yesterday received cheques from four institutions amounting to D750,000.

At a presentation ceremony held at the Office of the Vice President in State House, Gamtel-Gamcel presented a cheque for D250, 000 and made a pledge of 200 sim cards and 300 scratch cards to be presented to the delegates.

Other companies and departments presented huge sums of money to boost the event, as a demonstration of their partnership and contribution to national development.

These included the Gambia Ports Authority, who presented a cheque for D200, 000; Trust Bank a cheque for D150, 000, and Africell a cheque for D150, 000 and also made a pledge of sim cards to the delegates.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Mr. Njogu Bah, permanent secretary, Office of the Vice-President, said the gesture was a real boost that would contribute a lot to the event.

In his remarks, Mr. Modou Joof, a member of the organising committee, said the event would be historic in the sense that it would be the first time for it to be held in Africa, adding that it would also forge closer ties between Africa and America.

Mr. Joof described the gesture as ball-rolling for other institutions to emulate. The event would go a long way in promoting cultural tourism in America, he noted

The presentation was chaired by Mr. George Gomez, who called on other institutions to donate generously, as “it will contribute towards national development”.