Organisers: Caribbean Games 2009 on stream

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Oct 23 - Regional Directors of Sport have been urged to use their influence to ensure that quality athletes participate in the Inaugural Caribbean Games scheduled for Trinidad and Tobago in 2009.

This following a recent meeting involving the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC), the Local Organising Committee and the Regional Directors in Guyana.

“The meeting reiterated the call made by CARICOM Sports Ministers to support the Games and the commitment made by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to host the Inaugural Games, which will feature athletes competing in the disciplines of boxing, netball, volleyball, swimming and track and field during the period 13 – 19 July 2009,” according to a communiqué.

The meeting Chairman, Mr. Erskine King of Barbados, asked that CARICOM be represented on the Local Organizing Committee to ensure that regional concerns are addressed and make certain that CARICOM members are constantly apprised of developments related to the Games.

“This would also help to mitigate the costs of hosting the Games by identifying in-kind contributions that National Olympic Committees might be able to make. The Directors urged the organisers to build on the expertise and technical capacity honed in the region, which has recently hosted the Cricket World Cup and the FIFA Under-19 Football World Cup,” it said.

The delegation agreed to take on board the recommendations of the CARICOM Sport Directors and stated its desire to present an overview of the Games to CARICOM Heads of Government at their next Summit or Inter-Sessional Meeting.

The meeting noted that while CANOC was organising the Games, their success would depend on the active support of CARICOM Governments, through their respective National Olympic Committees’ ensuring their teams’ and star athletes’ participation.

“Even more significant however, is the transcendental aim of the Games to inculcate a culture of healthy life styles, consistent with the outcomes of the recent Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases and the role of physical activity in promoting wellness,” statement said.