Seeking to facilitate knowledge and technical skills, physical education techniques, teachers and coaches’ exchanges

Jamaica and its Caribbean neighbour Trinidad and Tobago are developing a sport exchange programme.

This was disclosed by Jamaican High Commissioner Arthur Williams, speaking in an interview with T&T News Day.

Williams said both countries had their strengths in their respective sporting disciplines, and they should find ways to collaborate for an exchange of expertise.

He added that this would be a benefit for the countries and the region, generally, as sports development and sports tourism can now be explored.

Said Williams: “Recently, I have been talking to my ministers, and High Commissioner Deryck Murray (High Commissioner for TT to Jamaica) has been talking to the authorities there to look at how we can collaborate more. We are looking to advance it and make some progress with it this year.”

Regional sports exchange initiative

He mentioned that, in 2016, the discussion surrounding a sport exchange and cooperation for the region started but the pace to establish it was slow and was further hampered by the pandemic. The programme would aim to facilitate knowledge and technical skills, physical education techniques, teachers and coaches’ exchanges.

The countries that have been working towards putting this programme into full swing were TT, Jamaica, St Lucia and Barbados.

Williams acknowledged that the pandemic has slowed down progress on the initiative but, now that countries were making provisions to reopen, there was hope that the project would restart will full force.

He made reference to the facility in Couva, where there is world-class cricket, swimming and cycling facilities saying ”those things should not be lying idle. Hopefully, we can finalize a memorandum of understanding”.

Williams explained that there were several models by which the programme can be undertaken and top of the list would be the inclusion of a sport scholarship programme between both countries. He said that, at the onset, five or six spots could be made available with full funding and accommodation.

Trinidad elated at such a partnership

As the programme garnered support and investment, Williams argued that it can be expanded. TT’s Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe told Sunday Newsday that the Government was looking forward to the partnerships and was hopeful that, by the end of the year, the programme would begin.

Cudjoe reiterated that, at the Sport for Development Caribbean Forum held virtually in January 2022, many of the regions’ sports ministers were interested in the programme.

Cudjoe said planners were awaiting confirmation of participating countries to roll out the next phase of negotiations adding, “we are hoping to establish a regional platform where our technocrats and administrators would meet once quarterly and exchange ideas”.

At the moment, TT and Jamaican officials said it was a government-to-government designed programme but that it was also hoped that private training partners can get involved later.