By Lincoln Depradine
St. George’s, January 17, 2012 –
Dozens of journalists from regional and international media are expected in
Grenada this weekend for an important trade and business meeting involving
representatives from the United Kingdom and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
The journalists will be here
primarily to cover the 7th UK-Caribbean Forum. However, their
visit coincides with the honouring of track star, Kirani James, and the hosting
of the 2011 National Sports Award at the Grenada Trade Centre in Morne Rouge,
St. George’s.
The UK-Caribbean Forum is held
every two years for the purpose of what has been described as “establishing
priority areas for cooperation, discussing key areas of concern and proposing
mechanisms to facilitate greater collaboration’’ between Britain and CARICOM
nations.
The Grenada get-together, to be
hosted by Foreign Minister Karl Hood, will be held over three, starting Friday,
January 20, at the Grenadian By Rex Resort.
Minister Hood will be joined by his
foreign affairs counterparts from other Caribbean countries; CARICOM Secretary
General, Irwin LaRoque; and a UK delegation headed by Foreign Secretary, Hon.
William Hague.
“The UK’s relationship with the
Caribbean should be a broad-based partnership that involves business, civil
society and ordinary people,’’ Mr. Hague said. “That is why I am so pleased
that we are starting the Forum with a meeting of UK and Caribbean companies.’’
The Forum closes Sunday afternoon
with a 12-overs’ cricket match at the SSU Grounds at Point Saline. A team of UK
ministers and officials will compete against a CARICOM squad led by Foreign
Minister Hood.
For the visiting journalists, their
presence is also an opportunity to cover Saturday afternoon’s event at which
Lagoon Road will be renamed after James, the current World 400 meter champion.
Saturday’s unveiling of the Kirani
James Boulevard, as well as a roundabout to be named after athletic coach and
former 400 meter indoor record holder, Alleyne Francique, will be attended by
government officials and representatives of the Grenada Olympic Committee.
On Saturday evening, 19-year-old
James will be attending the National Sports Awards where he is one of the
nominees for Grenada’s Male Athletes of the Year.
James and Janelle Redhead, a
women’s 200 meter semifinalist at the 2011 World Championships in South Korea,
are among 16 male and female athletes vying for the top sportsman and
sportswoman awards.
The keynote speaker at the awards’
ceremony is Trinidad Olympic medalist, Ato Boldon.
Another Trinidadian who will be in
Grenada to deliver an address is journalist, Tony Fraser. He is the
featured speaker at Sunday’s 6th annual awards’ ceremony of the
Media Workers Association of Grenada (MWAG) at the Trade Centre.
“We are very excited that Tony has
agreed to come and speak at the awards,” said MWAG president Rawle Titus.
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