THE Queen’s Baton arrived on Island late Wednesday afternoon from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and received a warm welcome from Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy at her official residence at Morne Fortune.
Also in attendance at the brief ceremony were Acting Prime Minister Ezechiel Joseph; Ministers Lenard Montoute, Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, Mary Isaac; Brazil’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia; Venezuelan Ambassador to Saint Lucia, Leiff Escalona; Regional Vice-President of the Commonwealth Games, Fortuna Belrose; and presidents of several national sports federations.
The official QBR team accompanying the Baton includes Ray Brownhill, Kate Shaw and Jeremie Adam Best.
Several Saint Lucia Elite athletes representing their respective national sports federations followed the Baton’s journey from George F.L. Charles airport along Nelson Mandela Drive, La Clery, Lanse Road, Sans Souci, Castries Waterfront, Jeremie Street, Faux-a-Chaux, Old La Toc Road en route to Government House.
Acting Prime Minister Joseph said, “We welcome this opportunity to participate in this activity where Saint Lucia is part of the Commonwealth…I am aware a team of athletes will be leaving for The Bahamas next month to participate in the Commonwealth Youth Games. I am hopeful and optimistic that we will see some gold medals coming home as our athletes are well prepared.”
Belrose said, “The Commonwealth Federation is the organization responsible for the CWG. You have 70 countries across the globe which were once managed and claimed by Britain underneath that banner…who will compete in the Gold Coast 2018. It is the most exclusive games you can think of (and) all 70 nations are expected to participate. It is the second-largest multi-sports after the Olympics.
The Commonwealth Games’ core values are Humanity, Equity and Destiny.
Dame PearletteLouisy also addressed the gathering, saying, “It is a pleasure to join me in receiving the Queen’s Baton. It is Her Majesty’s wish to see her Commonwealth united and what better way to bring the membership together than in a sporting activity. We take pride that we are a longstanding family of the Commonwealth.”
She also had words of encouragement for Team Saint Lucia heading to the Bahamas next month for the Commonwealth Youth Games and also those who will be participating in the 21st edition of the Commonwealth Games in Australia next year.
“Do your very best. We always want to medal and if you don’t medal, you have done your best. Nobody goes and fools around, but we would like something gold at the next Commonwealth Games,” she said.
Speaking at the ceremony, Kate Shaw, QBR Public Relations Officer for Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC), said, “Already we’ve seen thousands of baton bearers carry the Queen’s Baton across the Caribbean, embracing the diversity and values of the Commonwealth, from inclusiveness to sustainability.”
She continued: “People from all walks of life have had the opportunity to be part of the Relay. Dancing, sports and running relays have been part of the Baton’s adventures in the Caribbean. Already the Baton has touched the lives of thousands of people.”
“The Commonwealth Games’ reputation as the ‘friendly Games’ is doing nothing to dissuade the teams across the globe from pulling out all the stops for their GC2018 campaigns,” she noted.
The Queen’s Baton is continuing its global journey in the Caribbean, spreading the message of peace and sharing the dream of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
When the Queen’s Baton arrives at the Opening Ceremony on April 4, 2018, Her Majesty’s message will be removed from the Baton and read aloud to declare the Games open. The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games will be staged from April 4-15 2018 and more than 6,600 athletes and team officials from 70 Commonwealth nations and territories, including Saint Lucia, will head to Australia to share in the excitement of the Games.
The Baton spent Thursday and Friday in Saint Lucia before leaving for Barbados today, then on to Dominica on Wednesday and Antigua and Barbuda next Saturday to wrap up its first three months journey across the globe.
