Press Release — KINGSTON, Jamaica — St. Lucia has joined Jamaica in its plans to host the 12 boys from a youth football team in Thailand and their coach who were recently rescued from a flooded cave in their country.
St Lucia’s Prime Minister Allen Chastanet and Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett made the announcement during the Saint Lucia Hotel & Tourism Association’s 54th Annual General Meeting held at the Harbor Club in Rodney Bay, Gros Islet.
Chastanet said Jamaica was taking the lead and both men hoped that the visit to the Caribbean will happen in the next few months.
The joint offer comes on the heels of Bartlett’s who, on Wednesday, said that he “couldn’t think of a more appropriate gesture for these brave and extraordinary young men than to have them come and enjoy our beautiful island home”.
“We will be using all our diplomatic channels through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, also the Jamaican Honorary Consulate in Bangkok, Thailand, to try and make this a reality,” he said.
“This will be an all-expense paid vacation and something that we are happy to do as part of the international community and to show appreciation for the special friendship we have had with the people of Thailand over the years,” Bartlett added.
The boys, aged 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach had been trapped in the ThamLuang Nang Non cave system since June 23.
The world was transfixed by the daring rescue of the boys from the flooded caves, which was undertaken by a team of international divers over three days from July 8 to 10. (Jamaica Observer)