Frigate Bay, St. Kitts (March 18, 2008) – Royal St. Kitts Hotel & Casino, a family-run business formerly known as Jack Tar Village for over 20 years, is the proud Athletes’ Village for this year’s “Caribbean Olympics,” the 2008 CARIFTA Games.

More than 20 Caribbean countries have sent close to 700 of their top young athletes to St. Kitts-Nevis, with the aim of bringing home the Gold after they compete in the Under-17 and Under-20 male and female categories at Bird Rock Athletic Stadium.  CARIFTA runs from Friday, March 21 to Monday, March 24.

The Caribbean’s premier junior track and field event is being held for the first time in St. Kitts and Nevis and the first time in the Leeward Islands. 

This was not lost on Deputy Prime Minister Honourable Sam Condor when he addressed the members of the St. Kitts-Nevis team, their coaches and management staff on Tuesday, March 18 at Royal St. Kitts’ Circus Bar & Grill by the Activities Pool.

The time was approximately 11:30a.m.  “I am particularly pleased to be here with you this morning,” Minister Condor said.  “In fact, as we speak, Cabinet is meeting…but this was my first priority for the day.”

The Deputy Prime Minister continued, “September 19, 1983, our Independence, was probably the biggest history-making event for St. Kitts and Nevis.  Perhaps, this is the biggest history-making event since that time.”

Referring to the young athletes as “Ambassadors of this country,” Minister Condor added that, “You’ll be competing against people who are from bigger countries with larger populations, but St. Kitts-Nevis has always been able to produce results that are above and beyond what people think we are capable of.  Look at Kim Collins!” 

Before the Deputy Prime Minister spoke with Team St. Kitts-Nevis, Mr. Vernon Springer, a sports journalist at WINN FM, gave the athletes pointers on handling media interviews. 

Mr. Springer also impressed the importance of conducting themselves appropriately as well as the value of knowing the basic facts about their country…all the better to socialize with hundreds of their peers who will converge on Royal St. Kitts’ 18-acre property in two days’ time.     

Nestled between the action on the southeast peninsula, the Royal St. Kitts Golf Course, and the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea in Frigate Bay, Royal St. Kitts Hotel & Casino is an affordable All-Inclusive gem whose 282 charming guest rooms are dispersed over more than 30 two-storey buildings.  The buildings are elegantly intermixed with lush palm trees, tropical flowers, and ample facilities that add comfort, relaxation, and value to guests’ stay in St. Kitts and Nevis.