TOBAGO remains firmly in the mix to benefit from this country hosting the 7th Commonwealth Youth Games as hotels on the island have been identified as part of the overall list of hotels Government is spending $3.6 million on to book rooms for the athletes and their entourages.
The country hosts the games from August 4-11.
A press release from the Ministry of Sport and Community Development on Monday, confirmed that a cheque in the sum of $3.6 million has been given by Government for the booking of the hotel rooms.
“The hosting of these games will further position Trinidad and Tobago as a hub for sports tourism, providing a platform for Caribbean athletes to showcase their skills and will bring economic benefit to this country,” said Tobago West MP and Sport and Community Development Minister Shamfa Cudjoe.
The release said, “The government is pleased to support the Trinidad and Tobago Commonwealth Games Association through the disbursement of 3.6 million dollars towards down payment to secure 5,000 hotel room nights across six hotels in Trinidad and Tobago.
“These hotels include the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, Radisson, Cara Hotels, Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort, Mt Irvine Bay Resort and Comfort Inn and Suites. We are delighted to partner with the sporting fraternity and support the economy through sport.”
The Commonwealth Youth Games will feature seven sports: swimming, athletics, cycling, netball, rugby, triathlon, and beach volleyball for athletes between the ages of 14 and 18.
The handover ceremony of the cheque to book the hotel rooms took place on Friday at the ministry’s head office.
This country was announced as the host at the Commonwealth Games Federation’s (CGF) General Assembly in Birmingham, England last year.
According to a release on the Commonwealth Games Federation’s (CGF) website, the decision came after Trinidad and Tobago was initially awarded the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games in June 2019, but that event was postponed due to the impact of the pandemic on the international sport calendar.
Following that postponement, the CGF reviewed the best alternative options and time frames for staging the event in the future.
The CGF then entered close dialogue with the Trinidad and Tobago Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) and the TT Government before an agreement was signed at the CGF General Assembly.
After the signing, CGF president Dame Louise Martin, DBE, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Trinidad and Tobago will be hosting the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games.
“It was heart-breaking for us when we needed to postpone the 2021 event due to the pandemic however, we never gave up on our commitment of bringing the event to Trinidad and Tobago.”
She continued, “It will be an amazing event in the twin island country that will showcase the very best of the Caribbean and Commonwealth sport.”
Dame Louise later thanked the TT Commonwealth Games Association and the Government for their supp
