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| Sports Minister Patrick Simmons |
by Michael
Bascombe
ST
GEORGE’S, Grenada, January 27, 2011 - Grenada’s Sports Minister Patrick Simmons is calling for regional
governments to collectively discuss the situation of this year’s Junior CARIFTA
Games.
The annual track and field championships are in danger of being cancelled
for the first time in 40 years after original hosts St Kitts and Nevis gave
notice late last year that they were unable to stage the games.
Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Bahamas were identified as potential
hosts but they all turned down the offer.
Simmons, who coached a number of Grenadian athletes including former
world indoor 400m champion Alleyne Francique and triple jumper Randy Lewis,
said that the region’s young athletes should not be denied the opportunity to
compete among themselves even if it’s a scaled-down version.
He said that regional governments need to intervene urgently noting that
there is less than three months left to prepare to stage the games.
“Grenada as chair of CARICOM will initiate discussions with other
regional governments to see what can be done to assist in the staging of the
games,” he said.
“The CARIFTA Games have provided international exposure for many of our
track and field stars including the likes of Debbie Ferguson, Obadele Thompson,
Darrel Brown, Usain Bolt and Kirani James”.
He said that there are other possibilities of engaging National Olympic
Committees (NOCs) and lottery authorities in the region.
Apart from other logistical issues the Grenadian sports minister said
that regional governments, national federations, NOCs, and sponsors need to
come together urgently and discuss the future of the track and field
championships.
“I have been discussing this with the General Secretary of the Grenada
Olympic Committee, Veda Bruno-Victor who also shares a similar passion for
regional track and field,” Simmons said.
This year’s Junior CARIFTA Games are scheduled for April 22-24.
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