Symbolic handover ceremony held during Track and Field event at Kim Collins Athletic Stadium
Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 28, 2017 -- At a symbolic ceremony that cemented the power of partnership through Sport, President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Olympic Committee/Commonwealth Games Association (SKNOC/CGA), Alphonso Bridgewater, made an official hand-over of one million EC$ worth of sports equipment to President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Amateur Athletic Association (SKNAAA), Valentine Henry. The hand-over also included the responsibility and authority for the management, deployment, repairs and replenishment of the said equipment by SKNAAA.
As part of the hand-over, which took place on Sunday March 25 at the Kim Collins Athletic Stadium in front of Track & Field fans, athletes and dignitaries attending the national Track and Field events, President Bridgewater also publicly announced the decision of the SKNOC Executive to absorb the EC$ 317,000.00 debt with which the SKNAAA has been encumbered since 2015.
Dignitaries attending the handover included His Excellency The Governor-General, Sir S. W. Tapley Seaton GCMG, CVO, QC, JP; Deputy-Governor General Michael Morton and Mrs. Morton; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, The Honourable Shawn Richards; other Ministers of Government; Permanent Secretary in the Premier's Ministry (Nevis), Mr. Wakely Daniel and Directors of Sport (St. Kitts) Mr. Anthony Wiltshire and (Nevis)Mr. Keith Glasgow; Managing Director of TDC ( principal sponsor for over 4 decades of the SKN Inter-High School Championship), Mr. Earle Kelly and Mrs. Kelly; and Managing Director FLOW, Mr. David Lake and Mrs. Lake.
Commenting on the symbolic nature of the hand-over, SKNOC President Bridgewater said, “The event clearly illustrated the power of partnership though Sport while also highlighting the centrality of the athlete in the SKNOC's purpose, the fact that membership has its privileges and the action plan of the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan.
Among the mainly field event equipment handed over to SKNAAA were shot puts, pole vaults, discs and hurdles in addition to a replacement high jump bed and associated fixtures. In this context, President Bridgewater reiterated that the power of partnership and membership privileges allowed SKNOC to replace the damaged jumping equipment in time to accommodate the active track and field season in both St. Kitts and Nevis.
Bridgewater said, “The SKNAAA could not ask for a better demonstration of membership having its privileges. As signature member federation of the SKNOC, the SKNAAA has provided the vast majority of the elite athletes that SKN has produced to date and therefore merits the investment. The investment costs include the payment of the passage, accommodation and meals and outfitting of all athletes who participate in Games and Championships which fall under the aegis of the SKNOC/CGA. These include the Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, Pan Am Games, Pan Am Youth Games, Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games."
The SKNOC President also took the opportunity at the handing over ceremony to announce Antoine Adams, Jason Rogers, Warren Hazel and Shenel Crooke as the four Track & Field athletes that will represent SKN at the XXI edition of the Commonwealth Games to be held in the Gold Coast, Australia from the 4-15 April 2018. Athletes will be accompanied by Coach, Lonzo Wilkinson.
President Bridgewater also took the time to recognize the parents of elite athlete, Antoine Adams, Mr. and Mrs. Adams, who are regular attendees at athletic events and passionate supporters of their son.
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