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16 Islands THE DAILY HERALD, Thursday, March 16, 2017

NEVIS--North America, His visit to Nevis entailed end up with the best track bean Free Trade Association
Central America and Ca- attending the recently held facilities in the whole Carib- CARIFTA Games or other
ribbean Athletics Associa- Inter-High School Champi- bean because it’s going to be big championships.
tion (NACAC) President onships and inspecting and a nine-lane MONDO track He said construction is be-
Victor Lopez, who is also evaluating the new athletic which is a track that we use ing is being supervised by
Council Member of the track facilities under con- in the Olympics and World MONDO, the same com-
International Associa- struction at Long Point. Championships. Also it has a pany that installs tracks for
tion of Athletics Federa- He was accompanied by his warm-up track,” he said. the Olympic Games and the
tions (IAAF), left Nevis on wife Evelyn Claudio Lopez. Lopez explained that many World Championships.
Cu20b: March 13, at the end of a “I was very impressed with facilities already built in the “I am sure the product
Junior Minister of Youth and Sports on Nevis Hazel Bran- three-day official visit, with the type of facility that you Caribbean did not have a they are going to lay down
dy-Williams with Victor Lopez, President of NACAC and high expectations for the are going to have here. If warm-up track and it is an and deliver to Nevis is go-
Council Member of IAAF, at the Vance W. Amory Interna- future of athletics on the the facilities live up to what IAAF requirement when ing to be top of the world. I
tional Airport on March 10. island. has been planned, you might bidding to host the Carib- am predicting already, when
this stadium is complete, it
might be the best facility for
track and field in the whole
Caribbean and maybe even
beyond … everything as far
as I could see is done by the
book,” he said at the end of
his site inspection.
Lopez commended the
Nevis Island Administration
(NIA) for the initiative to
construct a stadium for the
development of sports and
youths.
He believes that that if
sports is developed, young
people are developed in the
process and therefore, it is
the responsibility of sports
leaders and government
leaders to develop young
people.
Junior Minister in the Min-
istry of Youth and Sports
Hazel Brandy-Williams, who
welcomed Lopez to Nevis,
thanked him on behalf of Se-
nior Minister Mark Brantley
and the Administration for
his visit.
She said the Administration
had long planned the con-
struction of the facility which
would not only develop ath-
letics and the island’s youths
but also create an avenue for
the development of sports
tourism.
“Sports tourism is a big as-
pect these days around the
world and little Nevis would
want to be a part of that fu-
sion, encouraging world-
class athletes to come to
Nevis.
“They will be getting two/
three things for the price of
one. The tranquillity of Nev-
is, the warmth of our people
and being able to train on a
top-class facility,” she said.
Assistant Secretary in the
Ministry of Youth and Sports
Michelle Liburd and Direc-
tor of Sports Jamir Claxton
were also part of the wel-
coming party at the Vance W.
Amory International Airport
VIP lounge.