“Let’s be ready for it” – Hutson on CARIFTA 2022

This year’s Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) Games will not be held over the normal Easter weekend but from July 2-4 in Bermuda.

With the CARIFTA Games still on track for 2021, the Guyana Athletic Association (AAG) will now anticipate their chance to host the games next year.

Although welcomed by FAR President Aubrey Hutson, there is some disappointment over the athletes who will miss out due to age restrictions.

“We’ve had some great athletes who would have qualified last year but unfortunately many of them would have passed the age. They would have either moved up in the 19-year-old passing category, ”Hutson told this publication.

Hutson honestly shared with INews that June was the initial month looked at but objections were made for student-athletes to provide for their Caribbean Higher Education Certificate (CAPE) Caribbean Higher Education Examination examinations.

On the other hand, in the interest of providing some reassurance to the Association, parents and athletes, Hutson hopes that some vaccine protocol will be in place by then.

“We are really hopeful that either vaccine or immunization of some sort is going on, so we can get athletes traveling just like they do with yellow fever and all the other ailments when we have to we will not travel, ”explained the President of the RPA.

The confirmation of the July event this year means that Guyana is up next to host the games. As it is the 50th edition of CARIFTA Games, the AAG is bent on perfect execution.

The AAG Boss shared that with this news broadcast, the adaptations will be made to the Leonora Track and Field facility where the games are slated to take place in Guyana. In addition, Sports Subject Minister Charles Ramson Jr. is fully supportive.

Hutson revealed this announcement, “He has so far joined us in holding this meeting. I must say that he is very, very passionate about CARIFTA Games coming to Guyana and really wants to play a big part in the fact that we are putting on a good show for the rest of the world. ”

In the meantime, Hutson informed that the EAW is working with the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC), to remove the kinks in anticipation of 2022.

“Most of the subject areas relating to CARIFTA games have been introduced. There are still a few of them that we have to clear with NACAC about how we are going to do this. “

He continued, “We still have to remember that they are the keepers of the meeting but they are asking us to deliver the meeting on their behalf so we are looking at the different budget allocations and how the funding is come from them and the demands they make, how do we balance that.

Initially, Guyana was due to host the games in 2021 but this was pushed back due to the Coronavirus pandemic. As such, the regional meeting for school-age athletes was postponed in 2020 and Bermuda, which was due to play host in 2020, was given a 2021 slot.

“It’s a work in progress but we are very optimistic that we will be ready for it,” Hutson declared.

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