From March 29 to April 1, athletes from across the Caribbean will gather here in New Providence for the staging of the 42nd Annual CARIFTA Track and Field Championships. The event takes place under the theme, 'A Celebration of Caribbean Unity', and regional financial institution CIBC FirstCaribbean has announced its involvement as a sponsor of the event. Managing Director for Customer Relationship Management and Strategy Trevor Torzsas noted that the event was tailor-made for CIBC FirstCaribbean's involvement as its footprint extends across 17 countries in the region.
Torzsas noted that the sponsorship is in keeping with the bank's involvement in projects that promote the development of the region's young people, through its charitable Community Trust Foundation, of which he is a trustee. "It's an honor for CIBC FirstCaribbean to be involved in this sponsorship. The CIBC FirstCaribbean Foundation manages our community involvement as a bank and has made young people a priority," he said. "We have actively sought opportunities to assist the youth through involvement in organizations that develop entrepreneurship amongst young people, scholarships to educational institutions and, of course, sports.
CIBC FirstCaribbean has recognized that an investment in our region's young people is an investment in our future development, so we have concentrated much of our resources on projects that have a direct benefit for young people." CIBC FirstCaribbean's contribution to the CARIFTA Games is through its community involvement program, and Torzsas said that the bank also donates to several sporting activities, especially in support of the youth of the region. He said: "CIBC FirstCaribbean's message speaks to support for the overall development of our youth and encouragement of young people in positive activities, including sports.
We look forward to the high level of sportsmanship this event has become known for. Our sponsorship of the 42nd CARIFTA Games signals our encouragement for friendly competition and support for activities that foster Caribbean unity. "Of course, our community commitment extends far beyond sports into initiatives that help charitable causes and vulnerable groups in our societies. In fact, the same weekend of the CARIFTA Games, about 100 employees and their families from CIBC FirstCaribbean's offices all over the Caribbean will be cruising to Nassau and will engage in a community project that involves cleaning up downtown areas and lunching with residents of two local projects - the Nazareth Centre, a children's home, and the Children's Emergency Hostel."
Torzsas said that they have plans to sponsor the attendance to the games of about 80 children from the Elizabeth Estates Children's Home and the Nazareth Centre. Also, the financial institution plays a major role in the Junior Achievement and the Caribbean association of youth business programs throughout the region. "Involvement in volunteerism is core to the values of CIBC. We just don't want to sponsor an event. We want to be involved in the event intimately," he said. "This year, we have made special provision to include a group of children who we very much want to be a part of the event.
We are very proud sponsors and we look forward to being involved in the future, and enjoying the success of the athletes." Torzsas also noted that CIBC FirstCaribbean is considering a number of opportunities for sponsorship of CARIFTA teams around the region through its businesses across the Caribbean. The 2013 CARIFTA Games are scheduled to be held at the new Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium from March 29 to April 1. These games will mark the seventh time in which the event was held in The Bahamas, the other years being 1976, 1978, 1981, 1984, 1992 and 2002.
A number of global stars got their start at CARIFTA. "Over the years, we have seen a development of several of the athletes," said Torzsas. "When you look at Jamaica's Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell-Brown, Kim Collins of St. Kitts, Obadele Thompson of Barbados, Grenada's Kirani James and Pauline-Davis Thompson from right here in The Bahamas, all of them got their start right here at the CARIFTA Games.
This is a unique opportunity for the Caribbean athletes to show what they are made of, and we're proud to be a part of that. We are also a proud sponsor of the Pan Am Games to be held in Canada in 2015. It is just a testament of our belief toward sports development." The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) ratified a 70-member CARIFTA team on Sunday. That team had its first meeting and held its first practice session yesterday evening.
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