Minister Scott Highlights Commonwealth Games

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to address members of this Honourable House on the subject of the XX Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow, Scotland from July 23 to August 3, 2014.

Mr. Speaker, Bermuda has a long history of participation in the Commonwealth Games; 2014 will be the 16th Commonwealth Games in which our athletes have competed. Bermudian athletes have won a total of five medals in previous Commonwealth Games, including one gold medal, two silver medals, and two bronze medals.

Mr. Speaker, John Morbey was Bermuda’s first Commonwealth Games medalist, winning a silver medal in long jump in Kingston, Jamaica in 1966.

Mr. Speaker, Clarence [Nicky] Saunders was a bronze medalist in high jump at the Commonwealth Games held in Brisbane, Australia in 1982. Eight years later, at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand, Saunders became the first Bermudian to win a gold medal at a major international sporting event, winning gold with his jump of 2.36 metres, a record that stands to this day.

Mr. Speaker, Antoine Jones and Conrad Lister were the 1998 Commonwealth Games silver medalists in men’s doubles tenpin bowling in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Mr. Speaker, the most recent Commonwealth Games medalist was Brian Wellman, who won the bronze medal in triple jump at the 1994 Commonwealth Games held in Victoria, Canada.

Mr. Speaker, the Bermuda Olympic Association has announced that 18 athletes have met qualifying standards in six different sports and will represent Bermuda at the XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, competing in athletics, cycling, rhythmic gymnastics, swimming, squash, and triathlon.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to take this opportunity to salute Bermuda Olympic Association President Judy Simons, Secretary General Philip Guishard, and the entire Bermuda Olympic Association for their fine work in organizing and supporting our athletes as they prepare for competition at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Mr. Speaker, it has become a feature of the Commonwealth Games that a meeting of Commonwealth Sports Ministers is held prior to the commencement of the actual Games. Accordingly, I will be attending a Commonwealth Sports Ministers meeting along with my Permanent Secretary Mr. Wayne Carey on Monday, July 21, 2014.

Some of the topics expected to be discussed at the Sports Ministers meeting include:

• Sport for Development and Peace
• Major Games as a Platform for Social & Economic Development
• Integrity in Sport
• Commonwealth Games Update

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to learn that you received a communication from your counterpart, Tricia Marwick, the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, regarding the Commonwealth Games.

It is noteworthy that to mark the occasion of the 2014 Commonwealth Games the Scottish Parliament has published Commonwealth Scotland, a research briefing which illustrates social, economic and environmental change since Scotland first hosted the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1970.

Mr. Speaker, Bermuda can take great pride in the superlative performances of our athletes recently. At the Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships in Morelia, Mexico, our track and field athletes won two gold medals and two bronze medals. Then our swimmers excelled at the Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships in Barbados, winning twenty-seven medals in total.

Mr. Speaker, We know that our athletes will give their all in Glasgow. There is growing anticipation that one or more of our athletes will medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. On behalf of the Government of Bermuda, I wish great success to the entire Bermuda delegation of athletes, officials and medical personnel under the leadership of the Chef de Mission, Mr. Stanley Douglas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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