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LOC moves to soothe security concerns ahead of Carifta Games
February 09, 2022
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 2022 Carifta Games, Mike Fennell, has revealed that some countries have expressed concerns over the state of security in the country ahead of the regional junior track and field meet. The Carifta Games will be held at the National Stadium from April 16-18.
Fennell said that during a virtual meeting with officials from the 27 countries which are down to participate in the meet, some pointed to the high crime rate in Jamaica and wanted security assurances.
As a result, the LOC has put a security committee in place to address these concerns and to ensure that everyone will be safe during their stay.
"People are asking about security arrangements. Jamaica's image is not very good in these countries, so they have been asking a lot of questions about security.
"We have a special security committee looking at that, so we can give them the necessary assurances," he said.
According to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), major crimes in Jamaica are trending down. At a virtual press conference on February 1, Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson said there were 133 murders up to that date and this represented a six per cent decrease when compared with the corresponding period last year when there were 145 murders. The JCF has also disclosed that all major crimes combined are down by 19 per cent.
Fennell also noted that another concern the countries have is the treatment of positive COVID-19 cases.
"Their concern is what will the various provisions be if there are (positive) cases when they are here?
"Our medical committee has provisionally arranged something for the overall requirements at the time (of the games) in April," he commented.
He added that part of the accommodation arrangements involve having an area of isolation to host COVID-19 patients until they return a negative test.
"A person will not be able to travel without a negative test. But in the accommodations we will have here, we have made provisions for a special section to be used for quarantine.
"That is a part of our planning and the medical people are examining that to ensure that there can be areas specially identified as a quarantine area, " he said.
More than 650 athletes and team officials will be attending the games, which were postponed in 2020 and 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Fennell said they are also looking to sign off on accommodation and transportation arrangements soon and that discussions with the Government on COVID-19 measures and requirements are going very well and will soon be finalised.
"We have had meetings with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM). We are due another shortly, to look at the various areas and see what the arrangements will be. But those meetings have been going well.
"We are awaiting some announcement from the Government and we will know from our meeting with ODPEM what will be required," he said.
Former hosts Bermuda, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Martinique, St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Barbados and Curacao are among the countries down to compete at this year's Carifta Games.
