SPORT Minister Shamfa Cudjoe and Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly attended the 2023 ISSA Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships in Jamaica this week.

Held annually, the athletics meet – commonly called Champs – sees Jamaica's national stadium filled to capacity and many foreigners visit to witness it as well.

Students come out in their numbers to support their schoolmates and many alumni also attend, proudly wearing their former school's colours of their old ties.

This year, the competition is being held from March 28-April 1.

In a post to his social media pages on Wednesday, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the meet is a "flagship event and a staple in our calendar each year as talented young Jamaicans show off their athletic prowess.

"...This year, we were happy to welcome Dr The Honourable Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Minister of Education and Shamfa Cudjoe, Minister of Sport and Community Development in the Government of the Republic of TT..."

[caption id="attachment_1008650" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness (centre), congratulates Kingston College's sprinter, Bouwahjie Nkrumie (right), after he won the Class One 100-metrer race in record-breaking 9.99 seconds at the Boys and Girls’ Championship (Champs) at the National Stadium on March 29. Looking on is TT's Minister of Sport Shamfa Cudjoe. - Jamaica Information Services[/caption]

He said the meet will bring "tremendous enjoyment" for local fans and international visitors. Along with the post were photos including Cudjoe and Gadsby-Dolly.

On Monday, Cudjoe had many people in TT say there should be something similar to Champs here.

But she said most schools in TT no longer have annual sports days, and if that is the case then champions of the various schools cannot be chosen to then compete in a major inter-school competition.

"The way we operate needs to change."

On Friday, Cudjoe posted to social media saying she led a TT delegation of sport and education to tour Jamaica's national stadium.

[caption id="attachment_1008647" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Education Minister Dr Nyan Gasby-Dolly and Sport Minister Shamfa Cudjoe tour Jamaica's national stadium. - Shamfa Cudjoe's Facebook page[/caption]

"Our visit to Jamaica is part of ongoing bilateral discussions about bolstering sports and athletics, particularly at the school level throughout TT.

"Champs is one of the longest-running school sports competitions in the western hemisphere and can serve as a benchmark for the development of our sport and education programmes."

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