Sport brings people together.
For as long as we can remember, sport has played an important part in all of our lives.
Scores of contented children played games of cricket, football and tag, dotting every neighbourhood, and our voices resounded and became music to our parents’ ears.
Life was simpler then, but as we grew in mind, body and soul, we graduated to become competitors at every level and sport led the way.
I am pleased on behalf of the Government and the people of Bermuda to welcome you to the 2012 LIME CARIFTA Games.
The 2012 LIME CARIFTA Games, hosted by the Bermuda Track and Field Association, have the potential to be one of the best games yet, with all 27 countries attending and 600 officials and athletes participating from sporting centres throughout the Caribbean.
Bermuda hosted the successful 2004 CARIFTA Games after hosting the internationally-acclaimed games in 1975 and 1980, which saw hundreds of world-class performances, and it is widely recognized that these regional junior athletic championship games have set the stage for training and showcasing the raw talent our amateur athletes have to offer.
Bermuda has maintained its place among some of the most desirable sporting destinations in the world and our National Sports Centre and sporting facilities and clubs continue to host world-class athletes and sports people in cricket, rugby, sailing, soccer and boxing.
We have a rich and vibrant local sporting community that has been the lifeblood of our sports clubs, sports leagues, public and private school sports programmes.
We are proud to welcome all of you to our shores and your participation in the CARIFTA Games has captured the gratitude of the entire Bermudian community.
We especially recognize the attendance of the Government Ministers and Overseas dignitaries, CARIFTA officials, coaches, trainers and athletes, and a special thank you is extended to our local games organizers, the Bermuda Track and Field Association, on producing a spectacular sports event.
Relax, unwind and enjoy the games and we encourage all of our athletes to compete to the best of their ability, and let’s embrace the spirit of fair competition.