CARIBBEAN TODAY


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Caribbean has much to gain from sport tourism ~ expert


BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -
The Caribbean has much to
gain by developing its sport
tourism p ,linii.il, an expert in
this field has said.
 "There are considerable
economic, sport and communi-
ty benefits to be gained
through developing the niche
market that is sport tourism,"
said Andrew Preece, a director
of the consultancy firm PMP.


 Preece explained last month
that sport tourism can take sev-
eral forms, but primarily involves
hosting sports events like the
International Cricket Council
Cricket World Cup (CWC)
which begins in the Caribbean
this month which bring both
competitors and spectators who
spend money in the community
gLcnir.ill\ and in tourism ameni-
ties such as hotels and restau-


rants in particular.
 Preece, who has been part
of the PMP team working on
legacy planning for the
Barbados leg of the CWC, will
be a panelist at the "9th
Annual Caribbean Conference
on Sustainable Tourism
Development", otherwise
called the "Sustainable Tourism
Conference (STC-9)", in the
Cayman Islands in May. The


general session,
"Securing
Environmental
and Human
Capital", takes
place on May 23.
Preece's presen-
tation will be on
community sport
tourism.
 "Community ..
sport tourism
can lead to
improved sport Enthusiastic fans
development, tries, including tl
enhanced com-
munity pride,
and more active populations,"
Preece said.

EFFECTIVE APPROACH
 Preece's presentation is
expected to examine the
approach to effective planning
for community sport tourism in
order to maximize the benefits,
and will include as a case study,
the four step "Community Sport
Tourism Planning Pr< igrani
developed by 2010 Legacies
Now and Tourism British
Columbia. Themed "Health
and Wellness: Communities,
Environments & E n, uin ilIcs ,
STC-9 will be held May 21-24 at
the Westin Casuarina Resort &
Spa in Grand Cayman, the


s will often follow their teams to other coun-
hose in the Caribbean.
 Cayman Islands. General
 sessions include: Health and
 Wellness Tourism: Opportunities
 and Challenges; Securing
 Environmental and Human
 Capital; Defining the Way
 Forward and Stakeholders
 Speak Out featuring discussions
 about "Developing Valuable
 Tourism Resources Within
 Our Communities: the Grand
 Cayman Go East Initiative,"
 SPrccrx n ig Our Culture:
 Preserving a Caymanian
 IdcLninl '" R\ iig the Bar:
 Customer Service Standards
 for the Tourism Sector," and
 "The Role of the National Trust
 in Tourism Development."
 0


Caribbean free movement expansion plans put on hold


KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent,
CMC Caribbean community
(CARICOM) leaders have
put a hold on plans to expand
the categories of Caribbean
nationals enjoying free move-
ment across the region.
 Antigua Prime Minister
Baldwin Spencer told the
Caribbean Media Corporation
(CMC) that regional leaders,
during their 18th inter-session-
al meeting here last month,
decided against expanding the
list to include artisans as was
originally planned at a previ-
ous summit.
 "It was felt that member
states who are in a position to
implement that immediately
(free movement of artisans)
should so do, but it was also
felt that it was necessary to
look at individual situations
emanating from the various
territories in terms of how
soon and this matter obviously
will be reviewed when next we


meet," said Spencer.
 "In July hopefully the sit-
uation would have undergone
some change in terms of some
territories implementing and
others being in a position to
report how far they have
reached in terms of the imple-
mentation of artisans as part
of the free movement."

WORK IN PROGRESS
 He told CMC the year-old
CARICOM Single Market
(CSM) was still a work in
progress and most countries
were yet to implement all leg-
islative changes necessary to
allow for the free movement
of the six categories previous-
ly approved to benefit from
free movement across CARI-
COM states.
 "One of the things that
ought to be borne in mind is
that in every territory certain
legislative underpinnings have
to be put in place and all of us


openul u


have not completed that exer-
cise, for example in the case
of Antigua and Barbuda,
although we passed the free
movement of skills legislation
there was some problem
attendant to that so we have
to go back to Parliament
now," Spencer explained.
 "Countries are updating
their legislative agenda and
doing the things that are nec-


essary, so yes the CSM is in
place as it stands but every
aspect of it is not likely to
come on board in every terri-
tory at the same time because
there are different considera-
tions, but we are all commit-
ted to the idea."
 Spencer said the leaders
had also agreed to mandate
the Guyana-based CARI-
COM Secretariat to conduct a
study on the free movement
exercise in Antigua and
Barbuda before the country
was asked to implement the
free movement of teachers
and nurses.

SPECIAL CASE
 At last July's summit it
was agreed that all members
states, with the exception of
Antigua, would add nurses
and teachers to the categories
of persons enjoying free
movement. But Spencer said
Antigua was a special case


since 40 percent of its work-
force originated from other
Caribbean countries even
before CSM.
 "Clearly this represent
a significant percentage and
while it is true that we will
continue to play our part
and we will continue to have
Caribbean nationals coming
to Antigua living and working
and so on, we have to look at
the impact that it is going to
have on Antigua and Barbuda
in a comprehensive and a real-
istic way and for us to make
decisions based on that study,"
he said.
 Presently university grad-
uates, media workers, ath-
letes, performing artistes,
teachers and nurses are cov-
ered under the free movement
initiative.
0


SWIMSUIT SPLASH


 SI.com photographs
Some of the world's most beautiful models visited the Caribbean recently to shoot photographs for the pages of Sports
Illustrated magazine's 2007 swimsuit issue.
 The models, including Bar Refaeli, Marisa Miller, Anne V. and Selita Ebanks, graced the property at The Caves hotel in
Negril, Jamaica, using the ocean-side bluffs, Caribbean sunsets and lush tropical flora as the setting for their work.
 The photographs above, taken by Raphael Mazzucco, appear at SI.com. At left model Selita Ebanks wears a swimsuit by
Amare.At right, Bar Refaeli shows off swimwear by Pompei Beach.


March 2007


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