Nuvolari Chotoosingh, Manager, Sports Tourism (fifth from left); Terry Wildgoose, Representative, Basketball Travelers Inc. (fourth from right), along with agency partners (representing Bahamas Customs, Immigration, Royal Bahamas Police Force and Bahamas Public Hospitals Authority; and the Ministry of Tourism pose for a photo during a recent press conference to announce the relocation of the Bahamas Junkanoo Jam Basketball Tournament to the island of Bimini, set for November 23-27, 2016. (Photo: BIS/Lisa Davis)

Thanks to the assistance of the Ministry of Tourism and its partner agencies, this year's Bahamas Junkanoo Jam Basketball Tournament will be kept here in The Bahamas.

Terry Wildgoose, Bahamian representative for Basketball Travelers, the international organizer of the tournament, said that because of the devastation to hotels, local gyms and other infrastructure in Grand Bahama, there was the threat of the tournament, which has been held in The Bahamas for more than 12 years, moving from The Bahamas to the United States.

"The Ministry of Tourism jumped in, took the bull by the horn and said that they wanted the tournament to stay here in The Bahamas," Terry Wildgoose told the media during a press conference at the Grand Bahama Ministry of Tourism on Wednesday, November 16.

"The Ministry of Tourism came to our rescue in a big way. This was a tournament that was more than likely headed back to the United States. But thanks to the Ministry of Tourism, we get to keep this international tournament here in The Bahamas."

Nuvolari Chotoosingh, manager for sports tourism at the Grand Bahama Ministry of Tourism, said that the ministry, along with Wildgoose, began looking at Bimini to see if that island was able to facilitate the Junkanoo Jam Basketball Tournament.

"We realized that Bimini was in a good position to host this tournament, considering it has an outstanding gymnasium, as well as the new Hilton Resort on the island, which would adequately accommodate those persons coming into the country for the tournament," said Chotoosingh.

A few other government agencies have partnered with the Ministry of Tourism and Basketball Travelers to ensure a successful tournament. They include the Customs and Immigration Departments, the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Public Hospitals Authority.

"We are working very closely with our partners, as well as working with our Ministry of Tourism office in Bimini to make this tournament not just possible, but a total success," added Chotoosingh. "When you're talking about at least an additional 200-300 people coming in, along with the regular tourists to the island, we will need lots of help on this particular weekend. Because it will be a holiday weekend in the United States, there will be more travelers to the quaint island of Bimini."

The Junkanoo Jam Basketball tournament is set to take place November 23-27 at Gateway Christian Academy on the picturesque island of Bimini, and the Hilton at Resorts World Bimini will be the host hotel.

Eight American college teams are expected to be a part of this year's tournament, including Georgia (which has a Bahamian player on its team, Shonae Armbrister), North Carolina State (Former National team player for the Bahamas, Sharon Smith, has a daughter who plays with this team), Missouri, Georgia Tech. Minnesota, South Florida, Creighton and Dayton.

Andrew Coakley

Bahamas Information Services

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