The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IN lending their support to the Oak Tree 50th CARIFTA Games, a number of small businesses encouraged others to join in the biggest junior regional track and field competition and cheer on the athletes representing the Bahamas.

The companies were on hand on Wednesday in the Cultural Village in the eastern parking lot of the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium where they came on board as partners with the Local Organising Committee for the games, scheduled for April 7-11.

Brenton ‘Boo’ Rolle, owner of FIE Fix It Enterprises Limited, said as no stranger to track and field or corporate sponsorship, they have been involved in junkanoo and have assisted in providing scholarships to a number of young people.

“We are assisting the international companies who are preparing the tracks, who are using our equipment,” he said.

“We are also providing some financial assistance. FIE is here and we’re here to stay. This is where we are born, bred and will dead.”

As one of the biggest fans of athletics, Rolle said he will continue to make his contribution.

Having opened their business in 1972, a year before the Bahamas celebrated its first Independence in 1973, owner Bernard ‘Porky’ Dorsett said Rubis Service Station and Paving Company is delighted to be a part of the celebrations for the games.

“It’s all about people. What we do is for the people,” Dorsett said. “I have some children who are not mine that I send to college. I keeping telling people it ain’t about you. If you are only interested in yourself, we are in serious trouble.”

Having attended the games last year in Jamaica, Dorsett informed the public that the Jamaicans will be coming here, so they can’t allow the Bahamians to be out-numbered in their own stadium here at home.

“We need to be here. The athletes need to hear our screams. That’s where the extra effort will come from them,” insisted Dorsett, who is a sponsor of Swift Athletics. “We need to be screaming harder than them other people when they come here.

“All I want to do is ask the Bahamian people to come out and support our athletes. Get your tickets and come to the stadium and let’s raise some Bahamian hell. Kanoo said they are going to have junkanoo, then let us all be junkanoo. Let’s wish the best to our athletes.”

Mobile Assist and Integrated Business Solutions owner Donovan Moxey said they appreciate the honour to assist because he and his family have been an integral part of track and field all of their lives.

“When you couple that with youth development, that is important to us as well,” he stated. “As a company, anytime we have the opportunity to support the youth of our nation or athletic development, we will take advantage of that opportunity. “So we are happy to be a part of the sponsorship of CARIFTA and we will be doing our part. This is the 50th celebrations of CARIFTA and we haven’t won CARIFTA in a long time. So we want people to come out and support the young people who have been working very hard to be a part of this team.”

And Emile ‘Rev DJ’ Sweeting, of Bahamian or Nothing 92.5FM, said it’s a joy to be a part of the games. “We believe in Bahamians and in the Bahamas and so we are using all of our platforms, our talents and gifts to get the word out,” he stated.

“We support our athletes, we support what’s going on and we are here in full support raking and scraping straight to the gold.”

Fern Hanna, the marketing manager for the LOC, said they will be providing an experience that will be second to none during the games and they are encouraging the Bahamian public to be a part of the 50th celebrations of the games.

For those seeking more information regarding the games, Calpunia Campbell, one of the young people working behind the scenes, said they can come “Gold” with us on their social platforms at carifta2023 and go online to purchase their tickets.