Talks of a possible return of Caribbean Games in 2013

The much-touted and anticipated Caribbean Games, shelved in 2009, have been re-energized with a possible hosting next year.{{more}}

This was one of the major decisions at the 17th special meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) in Guyana, earlier this month.

Ministers of sports from Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Suriname, as well as several government and sporting organizations, University of the West Indies and Commonwealth Secretariat officials decided to reconsider the games.

Whilst St Vincent and the Grenadines is a COHSOD member, it was not represented at the meeting.

Vincentian Minister of Sports Cecil “Ces” McKie told SEARCHLIGHT Saturday that it was unfortunate SVG did not attend.

McKie said Director of Sports and Physical Education Nelson Hillocks was to have attended the Guyana meeting, but did not because of a mix -up in the arrangements.

McKie, however, said SVG would attend the next meeting.

The Caribbean Games, conceptualized by the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC), were set for July 12 to 19, 2009 in Trinidad and Tobago, but were shelved because of an outbreak of the H1N1 virus.

The multi discipline Caribbean Games, dubbed the “Caribbean mini Olympics”, were to have featured about 1,500 athletes and officials.

It was to have included competition in track and field, boxing, indoor volleyball, tennis and netball.

It was reported that the Trinidad and Tobago government had spent TT$ 35 million on infrastructural development, whilst other intended participating countries were at an advanced state of preparations, and had incurred expenses for uniforms.

Subsequent to the calling off of the games, the then Patrick Manning government in Trinidad and Tobago said it was willing to host the event in 2011.

But that administration was voted out of office.

With a renewed interest in staging of the games, an organizing committee, headed by Erskine King of the Barbados National Sports Council, was installed at the COHSOD meeting.

Plans for the games are expected to be taken a step further at the annual meeting in Grand Cayman Saturday. (RT)