CANOC, UWI pursue Grenada campus for sport and agriculture

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Oct. 25, 2026 - The Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) and the University of the West Indies (UWI) are in discussions with the Government of Grenada about a specialised campus that combines agriculture, sports education, and regional high-performance training.

CANOC President Keith Joseph disclosed on Saturday’s TalkSports programme with Michael Bascombe, that the proposal includes academic work in agriculture, with particular attention to cocoa, alongside the education and preparation of high-performance athletes.

The plan also envisages primary and secondary education programmes focused on sport and long-term athlete development.

Joseph said discussions began last year and included meetings with the Grenada Cabinet. He expects the process to continue after the November 5 general election.

“We believe that within the Eastern Caribbean, we have enough expertise, we have enough resources to facilitate the development of a high-performance centre that not only serves the Eastern Caribbean but can extend to servicing the Caribbean,” Joseph said.

The initiative has previously been identified as the Hope Estate Project. CANOC and UWI signed a cooperation agreement in 2023 covering sports education, research, athlete engagement, and the proposed development of a multi-sport high-performance centre in Grenada.

Joseph said Grenada’s sporting history and public support across several disciplines made the country a strong candidate for a regional facility.

While Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are more frequently identified with sustained international sporting success, Joseph argued that Grenada had consistently embraced athletes and teams across a broader range of sports.

He cited Sir Kirani James’ recent installation as CANOC’s first Sports Ambassador as an example of the island’s influence beyond its population size.

Joseph said James reflected during the ceremony on his progression from primary and secondary school competitions to the CARIFTA Games, World Championships, and Olympic Games. According to Joseph, the three-time Olympic medallist also spoke about carrying the expectations of Grenada and the wider Caribbean whenever he competed internationally.

The proposed centre, Joseph said, should form part of a broader shift in how Caribbean governments view sport.

“We’re trying to impress upon our respective governments that sport must not be considered an adjunct that you put at the end of a rather long ministerial portfolio,” he said.

Instead, Joseph argued, sport should be treated as “one of the major pillars of economic development and genuine development” across the region.

Joseph was re-elected CANOC president for the 2026–2030 term at the organisation’s 24th General Assembly in Curaçao on October 18.