School children, other members of the general citizenry of Anguilla and business establishments, including the tourism sector, demonstrated a great deal of excitement and interest as the 2014 Queen’s Baton Relay was carried around the island on Monday and Tuesday this week.
The baton heralds the start of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, on July 23, to which Anguilla is to send twelve athletes. The baton began its journey, to 70 destinations, at Buckingham Palace on October 9, 2013 and Anguilla is the 52nd territory of its travels.
The Queen’s Baton arrived at the Clayton Lloyd International Airport, on a LIAT flight from St Kitts-Nevis, on Sunday evening, March 30. It was presented to Governor Christina Scott by Fortuna Dellrose, the Commonwealth Games Representative and Vice President of the Caribbean Region.
Speaking in the VIP Lounge, Governor Scott said the Baton was important to Anguilla for three reasons. Firstly, it linked Anguilla, a small island of 13,000 or 14,000 people, to a much bigger family of around two billion people across the entire Commonwealth; secondly, it provided an opportunity to highlight everything that Anguilla has to offer while travelling around the island in many different ways, symbolising and representing the rich history and the proud talent of its people; and thirdly, it was an inspiration to the island’s young people as many of them had the opportunity to carry around the Baton. She was pleased that Anguilla will be represented by twelve athletes at the Commonwealth Games.
Chief Minister Hubert Hughes joined in welcoming to Anguilla the Baton and the Commonwealth team which brought it to the island. He was delighted that Anguilla will be participating in the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Minister responsible for Sports, Jerome Roberts, noting that a BBC film crew had accompanied the Baton to Anguilla, said it was an opportunity to promote sports tourism on the island. He also called attention to Shara Proctor and Zharnel Hughes, two of Anguilla’s renowned athletes, who had demonstrated much talent and made a name for themselves. He added that the Anguilla Government was doing all it could to develop sporting facilities to produce an increasing number of capable athletes to participate in such events as the Commonwealth Games.
The Queen’s Baton, which left Anguilla on Wednesday evening for the British Virgin Islands, is taking 248 days to travel around the Commonwealth. It will travel for another 40 days in Scotland in the run-up to the start of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
