Bahamian govt. lobbying to make country permanent home for IAAF World Relay Games
FNM urges govt. to explain source of funds for 2023 celebrations
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas will host the 50th CARIFTA Games in 2023, along with the return of the IAAF World Relays Games.
Prime Minister Philip Davis and a delegation traveled to Kingston, Jamaica over the holiday weekend to lobby for the opportunity to plan and execute the sporting events next year.
A team of 54 athletes also traveled to Jamaica to participate in the 49th CARIFTA Track and Field games, finishing the three days of competition in second position with 17 medals.
Team Bahamas’ 36 member aquatics team also traveled the 35th CARIFTA Aquatics Championships in Bridgetown, Barbados over the weekend, and secured multiple gold, silver and bronze medals.
Davis hosted a special luncheon on Saturday night for the regional sports association and underscored to officials that The Bahamas should be used as a jurisdiction to host athletic events given that the country “punches above its weight in athletics.”
He indicated that The Bahamas also wanted to be the permanent host of the IAAF World Relay Games, given that the event originated in the country.
The Bi-Annual event was first had in The Bahamas back in 2014 and was last held in the country in 2017.
In an interview following that luncheon, Davis noted that next year will be The Bahamas’ 50th anniversary since independence and the 50th anniversary of CARICOM, during which time he will be a chair, so he thought it would be fitting to also host the 50th CARIFTA games.
The prime minister insisted that the move will be a win-win for the country by getting “heads in beds” and increasing sports tourism.
“The economic impact is usually sometimes immeasurable,” Davis said.
“Some of it comes with the advertisement and making the world aware that The Bahamas exists, making them aware of what the Bahaman people are all about and making them aware that it’s a welcoming place for all; and that’s one way of promoting The Bahamas through sports.
“A component of the diversification of the tourism industry is to promote sports tourism and here again we think it is a win win for The Bahamas once we continue to engage and let people know that we are open for business and this kind of business.”
The prime minister further indicated the social impact sports and sporting events could have on young Bahamians.
“I’ve come to appreciate the worth of embracing sporting activities,
he said.
“It teaches our people, particularly the young persons, how to socialise, how we can come together [and] it teaches discipline.
“…When we instil those attributes in our young people it only ogres well for a better society.
“It is one means of having our young people belonging to something and doing something that’s positive.
“So for me, sports and sports activity is an integral part of socialising our young people where they could learn how to lose, learn how to win and whatever side of the divide they fall, they can still do it graciously and understand what life is all about and just move on.”
SHOW ME THE MONEY
Davis however did not indicate the cost of hosting the event in the country.
Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Micheal Pintard said while the government’s ideas are ambitious, it must explain the source of the funds required for plans that they have.
“I think all governments often have lofty plans and they have specific objectives they are trying to achieve in putting those plans in place,” he said.
“So it is not our place to fault the government for having lofty plans, what we ask is how do you intend to fund those things that you have in mind and where do those things stack on your list of other priorities.”
He pointed to the need to fix the health infrastructure and ecosystem, plugging the gaps of the education system caused by Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic and better sourcing and deploying law enforcement in order to deter or interdict criminals.
“We don’t fault the government for dreaming or having a wish list,” Pintard added.
“We just want to know how they intend to fund it and where do those things on their wish list fit in the broader priority that Bahamians have identified as things that are important to them.”
