The Commissioner’s Cup Football Tournament was recently organized by the Royal Anguilla Police Force (RAPF) as part of the January activities that mark the annual police week on this its 48th anniversary.
The week-long tournament, the first of its kind in Anguilla, takes place nightly from Monday, January 27th, to January 31st, at the Raymond Guishard Football Stadium, and features teams from Tortola and Bermuda which will be taking on the Anguilla home team.
The opening ceremony took place at 6:30 last Monday evening, at the Stadium, with WPC Cherrydelle Coombs of the RAPF moderating. Brief remarks were made by Girdon Connor, President of the Anguilla Football Association, after which the Director of the Anguilla Social Security, Timothy Hodge, made cordial remarks in welcoming the visiting teams. The Anguilla Social Security Board is, in fact, the major sponsor of this event.
President Girdon Connor mentioned: “When we got the invitation to partner with the RAPF to host this tournament, we were excited and grateful for the opportunity. The Anguilla Football Association is dedicated to the development of football in Anguilla. Therefore, any opportunity that would expose players to the sport is welcomed. I would like to congratulate the RAPF on its 48 anniversary, and I heartily welcome to Anguilla our visiting teams.”
Mr. Timothy Hodge, in speaking on behalf of Social Security, stated: “I am happy that the Social Security Board is associated with this venture. We are all appreciative of the role of the police forces in various countries in our region. Collaboration among police forces is a wonderful thing, and we are very much delighted to be involved in collaborating with the RAFP in this football tournament. I would like to congratulate the force on its 48th anniversary. I wish you all the best as you go forward in helping to provide security and peace for our people.”
Finally, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Paul Morrison, addressed the ceremony, stating: “This is the first police football tournament of its kind in living memory. We do look forward to playing with the teams from the Royal British Virgin Islands Police Force and the Bermuda Police Service. We expect to play some good competitive football in a safe way. It is my great pleasure to see the visiting Police Commissioners, here, with whom I am quite familiar, having served together with them in the past. I welcome them and their teams to Anguilla.”
Commissioner Morrison then performed the first kick-off that signaled the start of the tournament.
– Staff Reporter, James R. Harrigan
