The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Before it gets started today, Commonwealth Secretary General Baroness Patricia Scotland predicted that she's looking forward to the sixth Commonwealth Youth Games being the best ever.

Scotland, who took office on April 1, 2016, was among the speakers who addressed the audience during the welcome press conference held yesterday at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium on the eve of the start of the biggest multiple sports event to be staged in the country. She joined Commonwealth Games Federation president Louise Martin, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Michael Pintard;, Bahamas Olympic Committee president Wellington Miller, BTC's interim CEO Dexter Cartwright and Lianne Roofe, a member of the Jamaica women's beach volleyball team.

Scotland, who hails from Dominica, said it has been a long time for the games to come home after Jamaica was the last country to host the Commonwealth Games in 1966.

"The Commonwealth Youth Games is symbolic of the unique strength and the focused areas for the Commonwealth," she said. "What I know we will see when these games start is the beauty and the vibrancy of our young people. "So I'm asking each and every person who will be participating in these games to give of their best and to show the world how wonderful you are."

Scotland said this is just the start of something, not the end.

"I hope we will go on and on. This is the sixth games, this will not be the last, but you never know Bahamas, it may just be the best so far," she projected.

Looking at the stage that was being erected for the official opening ceremonies tonight at the stadium, Martin could only lament that the "stage is set" for the games.

"The stage is set for a uniquely Caribbean celebration of the young sporting Commonwealth," she said. "It has been a tremendous team effort with many different government and sporting agencies all pulling together.

"Everyone is committed to supporting the athletes, promoting an inclusive and positive youth agenda and making the most of this opportunity to showcase the Bahamas to the world."

She thanked the Bahamas Government, the Commonwealth Games Bahamas and the hundreds of athletes, many of which will be competing in their first major international event.

"Live this experience and cherish it," Martin told the 1,000-plus athletes who will be participating from more than 60 countries. "You have to have fun as well. If you don't have fun, it's no point in participating."

Martin said what she's seen at the sports complex, which will host the majority of the events, along with the Malcolm Park Beach Soccer Facility, it's second to none.

She commended the Bahamas for taking on the task of hosting the games just last year after St Lucia withdrew because of financial reasons.

"It's a tribute to these small countries who want to do it," said Martin, noting that they try to make it affordable to manage without having to go bankrupt.

Martin, however, said it would be quite disappointing if the Bahamian people don't come out and support the games. So we encouraged everybody to invite as many people as they can to attend.

Speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and the Bahamas Government, Pintard said he's delighted to be able to welcome the countries and athletes to the Bahamas.

"Sports is a powerful way for young people from around the globe to share their culture, even though they are engaged in fierce competition," he stressed.

"This is as much a cultural event as it is a sporting event. We know certainly that international terms, one of the fastest growing segments of national economies is the creative industries."

Miller, who doubles as the chairman of the Organizing Committee, said in a few days all of their hard work will be done as the games come to a close.

"The journey of preparation has been long, but certainly worth the effort because the journey was about the young and up and coming athletes of our Commonwealth nations," he insisted.

"This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for each athlete, coach and parent that had also taken this journey."

Roofe said it's a great feeling to have the games in the Caribbean for the first time and the first time since her country hosted the only Commonwealth Games in the region.

She said this provides a grand opportunity to expose the Caribbean at large to the world and they are all looking forward to having a great time in the Bahamas.

In his address, Cartwright said BTC is proud to invest $250,000 in the games.

"The Bahamas has opened its arms to welcome hundreds of young athletes from almost seventy countries," said Cartwright, who is in his new role after replacing Leon Williams this month.

"These games are particularly special for BTC as our sister company, Flow Sports holds the official worldwide broadcast rights for this year's Commonwealth Youth Games."

Cartwright said customers throughout the Bahamas and the region will be able to view the games live, courtesy of the Flow Sports Network. Flow Sports and BTC in conjunction with ZNS will provide a simulcast comprising an extensive 5-day coverage across multiple sporting disciplines.

"With this level of coverage, the talents of our athletes will be on display and also the beautiful islands of The Bahamas," Cartwright stressed.

Six days of intense competition will begin today and continue through Sunday with 96 gold medals contested in nine sports, inclusive of athletics, aquatics (swimming), beach football (soccer), cycling (road), judo, rugby sevens, tennis and beach volleyball.