Anguilla’s involvement in sports is a huge positive for the island’s tourism industry. That was stated by Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism, Mr. Cardigan Connor.
He was at the time commenting on the weekend Z-Cup Golf Tournament played at CuisinArt’s Resort’s Golf Course; the upcoming Tournament at the Anguilla Tennis Academy; and the performance of the island’s cricketers.
“What we have done for sports tourism at the start of the season, is to be able to get the Anguilla Tennis Cup up and running,” he told The Anguillian newspaper. Now in its fourth year, we will have one hundred and twenty players on the island – and of course they will be coming with coaches and family members. The Anguilla Tennis Cup, from November 4th to 9th, is a huge positive for us, and is an initiative we came up with in order to create a kick-start for the season and to benefit some of the smaller hotels.”
Mr. Connor also expressed much delight over the Z-Cup Golf Tournament held in Anguilla on the weekend of October 26 and 27. “We often talk about the importance of sports tourism and that was not just something involving North Americans,” he observed.
“The fact that we had a match between St. Kitts and Antigua played in Anguilla – and had someone like Sir Viv Richards, one of the greatest cricketers God ever made, and to host him in Anguilla for a couple days – was tremendous. Anything that brings our Caribbean people together to play golf, and highlights such a sport, sends a message to Anguillians that the golf course is not just for visitors from overseas but that Anguillians themselves can play a major role in golf.”
He went on: “While I am on sports, I also want to say congratulations to the Anguillian cricketers who made the Leewards’ professional squad with Jahmar Hamilton as captain. We also have Cacey Carty, Yannick Lennard who spent the summer in England and who came back and performed very well; Monsin Hodge who has been knocking on the West Indies door for some time; and also Kelbert Walters in the reserves as a fast bowler. I think it is great that Anguilla, in a squad of twenty, can have five players – and in a squad of fifteen to have four players. Congratulations to them.
“We still would like to see more organised cricket being played. A number of our cricketers have been around for a little while even though they are still young people. We want to see some of the younger players coming through, but for those who have been selected on the Leewards’ team, I just want to say congratulations again.”
