Anguilla is among 70 countries in which the Queen’s Baton Relay will traverse over the length and breath of the Commonwealth for 240 days, before embarking on a 100-day national tour of India. The relay will conclude in the Jawalharlal Stadium where the 19th Commonwealth Games 2010 will open in Delhi on October 3.

L-R: Mr. Rollins Richardson, Mr. Kenn Banks, Governor Harrison, Mrs. Althea Hodge and Mr. Cardigan Connor

The Anguilla Commonwealth Games Association is preparing to participate in the Queen’s Baton Relay which left Buckingham Palace on October 29, 2009, on its way through the Commonwealth. The Baton, which is travelling by all forms of transport, is due to arrive in Anguilla on Thursday, March 25, at 5.50 p.m. on a LIAT flight from the British Virgin Islands. After a full day on the island, it will leave by ferry to St. Maarten for Jamaica.

The local preparations and other related matters were outlined at a press conference held on Monday this week at the Executive Council’s Chambers by the Anguilla Commonwealth Games Association along with Governor Alistair Harrison. The Governor, who previously attended the Commonwealth Games on two occasions many years ago, said he was honoured to be involved in the Queen’s Baton Relay for the first time. Its arrival in Anguilla will be marked that evening by a reception which he and Mrs. Harrison will hold at Government House. The following day, Friday, the Baton will be touring the island.

President of the Anguilla Commonwealth Games Association, Kenn Banks, recalled that the Queen’s Baton first came to Anguilla in 2006 when a big event was held, and when the teams from throughout the Commonwealth were hosted in Melbourne, Australia. “This year we are planning an event of the same scale…although the time is shorter,” he stated, noting that the Baton will have one full day in Anguilla unlike the first time when it remained for two days.
The Indian delegates, including the High Commissioner, accompanying the Baton, will be given complimentary accommodation at Viceroy Hotel. From there the Baton will be carried throughout the island. “During that time it will be taken by foot, cyclists, athletes, boat, horse and donkey by many persons,” Mr. Banks told reporters. “We are looking forward to a good event and good coverage.”

Cardigan Connor, who travelled to Delhi for a site inspection, said that judging from what he had seen, and the feedback from the Commonwealth Games Federation, “it definitely is a yes.” He described the soon-coming Baton in Anguilla as a means of getting everyone interested in the island’s competing athletes, and in the Commonwealth Games, and praised Althea Hodge, Secretary of the Anguilla Association, for her hard work in organising the programme for the arrival of the Baton.

Mrs. Hodge said that a number of Commonwealth citizens, past and current Anguillian athletes and sponsors, were among the invited guests to the Governor’s reception at which there would be several cultural performances. “On Friday, the big day, we intend to pay visits with the Baton to all the primary schools, the parliament building and will incorporate a number of scenic areas around the island as well as hotels,” she explained.

In addition to the varied forms of transport, for taking around the Baton, it has been arranged for one of the racing boats to take the Baton from Crocus Bay to Road Bay, following which its travel will be resumed on land for the return journey to Viceroy Hotel. Mrs. Hodge commented that it would be a challenging experience to accommodate so many travel activities for the Baton in one day, but her association felt that it should be widely taken around to appeal to the interest and support of as many persons as possible.

Mr. Banks expressed thanks to the schools for changing the date of their road race to accommodate the travel of the Queen’s Baton on Friday, March 27. He reported that he and his colleagues had been meeting with the various sports associations and it was their responsibility to train the athletes. He said the Delhi Organising Committee had provided a provisional grant of US$100,000 to the Anguilla Commonwealth Games Association which had made available some of the funding to the sporting groups to assist them with the preparation of their teams.

He explained that some of the money had also been used to purchase a bus to transport the athletes to and from training as well as for uniforms. The athletes will be selected from among those in Anguilla and others at colleges and universities overseas, one of whom will be Shara Proctor. He estimated that in all there might be 24 or 25 persons including cyclists, track and field athletes and officials who will represent Anguilla at the Commonwealth Games.

Mr. Banks disclosed that India had also undertaken to fund the travel of the team of persons from Anguilla including the President and Secretary of the local Commonwealth Games Association and other officials. In addition, with the fund-raising assistance of Cardigan Connor, a number of other donors outside and in Anguilla are also involved in the sponsorship of the island’s participation in the Commonwealth Games.

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