Tobago likely venue for Carifta Games this year

Trinidad and Tobago will host the 2005 edition of the CARIFTA Games, the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) track and field organisation have confirmed.  Grenada, who won the bid to host the annual meet next year, was forced to give up the responsibility after Hurricane Ivan devastated the spice-isle last month.  Among the country’s many losses was their National Stadium in the capital city of St George’s, which was deemed unfit for use because of the severe structural damage to the facility.

As a result, TT, who were originally carded to host the 2006 edition of the championships, became NACAC’s first choice for the staging of the next year’s games.  President of TT’s National Amateur Athletics Association (NAAA) Ken Doldron told CMC sport that the NAAA is elated over the opportunity to maintain the region’s premier junior track and field championships. “We feel really elated that we can maintain the CARIFTA family, getting together every year to ensure there is no break and we will do everything possible to ensure that the quality of the games is maintained. The CARIFTA Games have set a very high standard for the region, and is regarded as one of the world’s leading junior track and field meets.” Doldron is also adamant that despite the short notice given for preparation, the NAAA will ensure the games go according to plan without any major hitches.

“We will do everything to ensure the games come off as planned and it doesn’t have any shortfalls in terms of administration or the technical aspect of the games.” Doldron also said that this time around, the NAAA was looking at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago to host the championships, provided that the necessary facilities for the hosting of the championships were available. “We are looking to take the championships to Tobago this time, they have a new stadium and we are working out the logistics of going to Tobago by the end of this week. Within a week or two all the member federations would be advised about the programme for the Easter weekend 2005.” However, the association still has not solved the problem of accommodation for the visiting athletes and officials, as Crown Plaza Hotel, earmarked as the Games Village for the 2006 meet, informed the NAAA that it was unable to handle the responsibility on such short notice. Doldron believes that despite not having the Crown Plaza as there lone source of accommodation, Tobago has a cluster of hotels capable of hosting games of the magnitude of CARIFTA.  Trinidad and Tobago last hosted the CARIFTA Games in 2003.