Cloud hangs over CARIFTA Games

A CLOUD of concern now hangs over the staging of the 2005 CARIFTA Games in the sister-isle of Tobago with just two days to go before the official start. President of the National Amateur Athletics Association Ken Doldron is fuming over what he describes as the casual approach to the emerging problem by those in authority. The availability of flights in and out of the sister-isle ahead of the games, is worrying organisers with regional teams and supporters uncertain of whether they will make to Tobago on time or at all.

According to Doldron, the stage has been set with a spanking new state of the art IAAF-certified track facility, as well as interest which is guaranteeing a sold-out crowd for the the annual regional three-day junior track and field fiesta. The event is carded for March 26, 27 and 28 at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, but Doldron feels the party can be spoilt if national airline BWIA and the Tobago Express do not move swiftly to sort out the problem. Doldron pointed out that a contingent from French Guyana is currently in Trinidad attempting to sort out flight arrangements to meet their scheduled time of arrival for the Games.

He added that desperate attempts were made by Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly Orville London to increase the number of flights to transport the athletes and their supporters via the Tobago Express, but that effort has been unsuccessful. Now Doldron is contending that the matter could have been dealt with had BWIA put plans in place to deal with the obvious influx of passengers over the coming Easter weekend. Newsday understands from a BWIA source that the problem is no fault of theirs since the airline has been operating with limited flights to as many destinations as they possibly can. Further  while BWIA are not the only ones dealing with flights on the airbridge route, the problem is one of “resource constraints”.

Newsday was told that the matter should be picked up with Tobago Express and not with the cash-strapped BWIA. Doldron revealed that Caribbean athletic powerhouse Jamaica are expected today, but will be spared the hassle since they have secured a chartered flight straight to the sister isle. Barbados and the Bahamas are also due in on chartered flights but there are many other countries who could be stranded if they depend on airbridge flights from Piarco. These countries include  Belize, Suriname, Guadeloupe and Martinique among many others.  

Doldron suggested that the national carrier (BWIA) put additional flights during the nights from tomorrow and Friday,  which will deal with passengers making the trip to Tobago. He also feels that two other flights to operate the airbridge on Tuesday morning or night will also assist in taking the passengers out of Tobago when the Games have been completed. Some 550 athletes from 26 countries from as far as Haiti in the North to Guyana in the South are expected in Tobago for CARIFTA Games. Doldron says Trinidad and Tobago will be fielding a competitive team, led by sprint queen Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Rennie Quow, Marcus Duncan, high jumper Rhonda Watson, Damian Douglas and speedster Jamil James, among others.