BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE Queen’s Baton Relay continued its journey to all Commonwealth countries with a visit to St. Kitts that featured a 12-hour tour of the island.
The Baton and its accompanying team arrived in St. Kitts on Thursday afternoon (Mar. 27) and were welcomed by Tama Martin at the Robert Llewellyn -Bradshaw International Airport.
On the following day the Baton ignited the island as it was transported by a number of sports disciplines, firstly from the Ocean Terrace Inn to the Alliance Française in Greenlands.
Running from the Alliance Française, St. Kitts’ 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games representative Allistar Clarke took the Baton to Government House, where he handed it over to the President of the St. Kitts-Nevis Olympic Committee, Alphonso Bridgewater, who in turn presented it to the Governor-General, His Excellency Sir Edmund Lawrence.
The Relay then made its way to the War Memorial and featured photo opportunities with members of the Diplomatic Corps.
A courtesy call was then paid on Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas at Government Headquarters on Church Street, Basseterre, where Minister of Health and fitness enthusiast Hon. Marcella Liburd handed the Baton to Leroy Green (Chef de Mission to the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow).
Green then presented the Baton to the Prime Minister, which had within its design the Queen’s Message encased in a lattice frame with a puzzle mechanism and a granite gem stone at its base with a wooden handle.
A Commonwealth Youth Leadership Programme Representative then walked the Baton to Liverpool Row before the Relay made its way to Football House via Fort Street.
At Football House, the Baton was received by President of the St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association Anthony Johnson and a number of national youth footballers.
The Warner Park Sports Complex was the next stop, where Netball, Cricket, Lawn Tennis and Football were featured along with students from the Basseterre High School who were given an opportunity to view the Baton before it made its way to Basketball City.
The Relay then made stops at the Kim Collins Highway, Timothy Hill, Carambola Beach Club, Conaree Village and Ottley’s Plantation Inn.
Among other stops made around the island were the Brimstone Hill Fortress, Kittitian Hill and Romney Manor.
The final stop was made at the Silver Jubilee Stadium in Bird Rock and the Baton was featured as part the Opening Ceremony for the TDC Inter-School Championships.
It exchanged hands among past representatives of the Commonwealth Games who then passed it on to Glen Jeffers, President of the St. Kitts-Nevis Amateur Athletics Association.
The Queen's Baton Relay is a much loved tradition of the Commonwealth Games and symbolises the coming together of all Commonwealth nations and territories in preparation for the four-yearly festival of sport and culture.
The Glasgow 2014 Queen's Baton Relay is the curtain-raiser to the XX Commonwealth Games. Over a period of 288 days the baton will visit 70 nations and territories, cover 190 000 kilometres and involve a third of the world's population, making it the world's most engaging relay.
The Baton will be relayed by thousands of people throughout the Commonwealth, each one honoured by its own nation to participate in this unique tradition.
The finish line is in host nation Scotland just in time for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, where Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll will read aloud her message to the Commonwealth.
