BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – PRESSURE from the region for St. Kitts-Nevis to host the 2011 Carifta Games continues to mount, but Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas said yesterday (Apr. 21) that a decision will not be made until all aspects have been fully considered by his government.
Since St. Kitts-Nevis held its first Carifta Games in 2008 at the Silver Jubilee Anniversary Stadium, the Federation has been lauded by regional amateur athletics associations as a first class venue and a nation with the technical expertise to provide a quality programme.
Additionally, the central location of the Federation has kept the nation on the annual short list for Carifta hosting countries and talks for the 2011 games have been no different.
“The Carifta Games 2011, as you’ve heard Bahamas was the country of venue. Bahamas have declared that they will not be able to host because their facilities will not be ready and have proposed St. Kitts-Nevis as the venue of hosting,” PM Douglas stated yesterday at his monthly press conference.
Following the 2010 hosting of the Carfita Games in the Cayman Islands there had been talks of the official Carifta Flag paying a visit to the Federation shortly after, a sign many saw as a way to pressure the government of St. Kitts-Nevis into hosting the games in 2011.
However, Douglas said that there are still many factors to consider before the Federation can approve any proposal to host the games again.
“I have very little to say about that proposal to date. I know that the Minister of Sports, the Hon. Glen Phillip, has brought the matter to our attention. I think the logistics at this moment are being worked out and as soon as we are in a position to articulate publically our position on this, then it will be made known.”
He noted that cost is a major factor to be considered, especially after the nation spent millions on a new stadium to host in 2008.
“We incurred quite a bit of cost when we prepared ourselves two or three years ago to host those games here.
“I am hoping therefore that if the Bahamas is asking us to host they would also pass about a million dollars to ensure that we are not out of pocket at the end of this exercise,” the Prime Minister said. “Of course, we have a responsibility to our people as well as we have a responsibility to the Caribbean athletes who will be competing.”
Though the costs may seem prohibitive, Douglas remained hopeful that St. Kitts-Nevis would be capable of returning the games to its shores next year because the economic benefit to the shopping, hotel, restaurant, taxi and similar sectors would be substantial.
“It would be good, I can say, for this to happen. Mainly because the country continues to market this destination as one in which sports tourism is being promoted in every way. I believe that the Carifta Games coming here is going to be helpful,” he stated.
