Dragon Boat Race for Chinese

At a news conference at the Kayak Centre yesterday to launch the series, vice-chairman of the Dragon Boat Festival Committee Colin Mitchell made a plea for government to award his association a public holiday to commemorate their arrival.

Tourism Minister Howard Chin Lee praised the Chinese Association for the gesture, a move he said will enhance the development of the nation’s youths in our twin-island republic.

He said apart from the excitement that will be generated from the event, the sport will also bring together the diverse cultures, religions and ethnic groups to a true display of national unity and country development.

The race has been one of the oldest water sport, dating back some 2000 years in China, but has been practiced in countries where Chinese have settled.

According to Mitchell, the sport has been predominantly active in Europe and will be included in the number of sports contested at the Olympic Games.

He said it was felt that the sport should be introduced here to signify their existence in Trinidad and Tobago.

Six 41-footer pirogue with the head of a dragon at the top of it, was brought from China for the event and a lot more is expected over the next few weeks to months.

Mitchell said there is hope that it will be introduced at the nation’s schools and will lead to a possible Intercol Dragon Boat Race competition.

But come August 12 at the Kayak Centre, a number of dragon boats will do battle in a historic move to mark the Chinese arrival.

Mitchell said his committee has been targeting about 24 boats for the race and to date they have received registration for 50 percent (12) so far.

Participants will have to fork out $5, 000 to rent a 41-foot pirogue for the day

Yesterday there was also a demonstration of dragon boat racing by a team of workers from Excellent Stores one of the event sponsors.

Transfer of boat from native China to TT was made possible by corporate Trinidad and Tobago, among them Digicel, National Gas Company (NGC), National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB), Republic Bank and TSTT, all gold sponsors.

Algico, LJ Williams Ltd, the BG Group and Scotia Bank have also joined the sponsorship team for the celebration of Chinese arrival Day as bronze sponsors.

Minister Chin Lee urged all to support the Dragon Boat Race, after which he and Chinese Ambassador Huang Xing dotted (painted) the eyes of the dragons on the pirogues which according to Bernard Aquing, a Chinese Association committee member, was a symbol that the dragons were alive in Trinidad and Tobago.