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PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Patrick Manning has expressed an interest in the country staging the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

T&T is one of three countries so far – the others Australia and Nigeria — showing an interest in bidding for the games in nine years. The Australian city of Melbourne staged the 2006 Commonwealth Games and Nigeria’s Abuja lost out to Glasgow (Scotland) for the 2014 Games.

India will host the 19th edition of the Commonwealth Games next year.

Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, made the disclosure about T&T’s interest on Saturday, during a press conference at the International Financial Centre, Port-of-Spain.

Manning’s intentions were made at a Sports Breakfast meeting, in which Kalmadi and dignitaries representing the Commonwealth nations attended at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

“In his (Manning’s) speech, he said he would like to be the host of the Commonwealth Games 2018,” Kalmadi said.

“He made a bid right there in front of all of us,” added Kalmadi.

Manning’s bid came on the heels of T&T’s hosting of the Fifth Summit of the Americas in April and just before the closure of the 21st Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) here this past weekend.

Kalmadi said countries need strong financial backing to successfully bid for the Commonwealth Games.

Asked if T&T would be able to prepare for an event of this magnitude, Kalmadi said, “It depends on your government. If they are ready to come forward or not”.

The 2010 games, which will be held in Delhi India next October, has already cost India’s government US$2 billion.

T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) general secretary Brian Lewis said that in 2008 they had given some thought to staging the Commonwealth Games.

“Our intention was to engage discussion with Sport Minister Gary Hunt and the government following the Caribbean Games.”

T&T cancelled staging the Caribbean Games earlier this year as a result of the H1N1 virus and scuppered the TTOC’s projections for the bigger assignment.

“The background of a successful Caribbean Games would have given T&T a good argument to be the (Commonwealth) host. If the Prime Minister is of the view it is something he would like to explore, I would think the T&TOC would like to have some discussion with him,” Lewis said.

source >> http://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/sports/12/01/tt-interested-in-commonwealth-games-bid/

New Delhi, Dec 20(ANI): The Group of Ministers (GoM) and the core committee responsible for the completion of the projects related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games met to review and discuss the preparations for the mega event on Sunday.

Buzz up!
Addressing the media, Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister M. S. Gill, expressed his satisfaction over the pace of work and hoped all the tasks will be completed by the scheduled dates.


"Stadium and everything will be done and ready for the Commonwealth Games and much before that. That's all I have to say, I have full understanding with Fennell (President of the Commonwealth Games Federation) and I was sitting in the meeting in London and the discussion went on in my presence, it was my proposal only," Gill said.

However, in contrast to the views of Gill, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said: "I am still not comfortable because I am nervous, but I think it will be done."

Among those who took part in the meeting was noted movie director-scriptwriter Shyam Benegal, who has been assigned the task of apt programmes for the opening and closing ceremonies.

Accompanied by another famous movie personality, Javed Akthar, the lyricist, Benegal presented his proposals, which he said have been accepted.

"The concept has been more or less approved. It is the question of responsibility of OC (Organising Committee) now to make it happen. As far as the core team is concerned, we have given them the concept, both for the opening as well as the closing ceremonies. And they have accepted it," Benegal said.

The Commonwealth Games 2010 to be held between October 3 and 14 in New Delhi will be India's first major international sports event after the 1982 Asian Games. (ANI)

source >> http://www.in.com/news/current-affairs/group-of-ministers-core-committee-meets-to-review-2010-commonwealth-games-sunday-december-20-20091609-ist-2f18c9e4837f60aa31b932ee13d492bbf989e8ed-131233-true.html