Caribbean sports tourism summit to champion cancer fight

GEORGETOWN, Guyana:

Anguilla’s Tourism Minister Cardigan Connor wants to use the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) inaugural Sports Tourism Summit in August 2027 to spearhead the establishment of a regional cancer foundation.

The summit, scheduled for August 12 to 14 in Anguilla, will seek to unite Caribbean nations around sports tourism while exploring fundraising opportunities to support cancer-related initiatives across the region.

Speaking at a press conference during the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) in Georgetown, Guyana yesterday, Connor said the initiative was inspired by his longstanding involvement in cricket and his belief that sport could achieve what politics and other institutions sometimes could not, unite Caribbean people.

The former cricketer, who played professionally in Hampshire, England, for 15 years and also in Australia, said his vision was to create a lasting partnership between the CTO and Cricket West Indies that would extend beyond promoting sporting events.

“I see it as a great opportunity here in the Caribbean, where the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, Cricket West Indies, can bond and form a foundation for cancer,” Connor said.

He explained that while the location and structure of the proposed foundation had not yet been determined, the intention was for funds raised through the sports tourism initiative to benefit Caribbean people affected by the disease.

“Our Sports Tourism Summit in Anguilla is about bringing the Caribbean nations together, and whatever funding we can raise there going forward, it will go towards a cancer foundation somewhere in the Caribbean,” he declared.

MALCOLM MARSHALL

Connor drew on the memory of legendary West Indies fast bowler Malcolm Marshall, whom he described as a personal friend, to explain the emotional significance of the initiative. Marshall died from colon cancer in 1999 at the age of 41.

“Malcolm Marshall is someone who died from colon cancer at age of 41,” Connor said. “He’s a personal friend of mine, and I would like to think that for generations to come, persons who would not have known of Marshall as a cricketer will know that he is someone that they can benefit from.”

The minister, who also holds responsibility for health in Anguilla, pointed to international examples where cricket had been used to raise funds for cancer-related causes.

He cited the McGrath Foundation in Australia, established following the breast cancer diagnosis of Jane McGrath, wife of former Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath, and the foundation established in memory of Ruth Strauss, wife of former England cricket captain Andrew Strauss, who died from lung cancer.

Connor believes the Caribbean can develop a similar initiative, drawing on the region’s rich cricketing heritage and the international recognition of its sporting legends.

He recalled the era when West Indies cricket dominated the international game, arguing that the team’s achievements helped promote the Caribbean globally while creating a shared regional identity.

“For many years the West Indies, as a team, bonded us as a region when politics or religion didn’t do it,” he said, describing cricket as a powerful force for Caribbean unity.

Connor’s announcement comes as Anguilla strengthens its sports tourism portfolio, with the island currently hosting the Eastern Caribbean Golf Association Championship, which began Thursday and continues through October 12.

The competition is expected to attract approximately 150 participants.

Connor, who is also involved in the island’s golf programme, said the development of sports tourism was particularly important for young people, providing opportunities for scholarships, improved sporting infrastructure and international exposure.

He said golf offered an opportunity for Anguilla, which has one golf course, to introduce more young people to the sport and potentially develop future international champions.

The island will also host the Anguilla Tennis Cup in November, with competitions scheduled for November 16 to 21 and November 23 to 28.

Earlier, Anguilla’s director of tourism, Jameel Rochester, outlined investments in airport infrastructure, additional airlift and luxury accommodation as the destination prepares for continued tourism growth.

These include the expansion of the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport, where a new passenger terminal opened in December 2025, and plans to extend the runway from 5,000 to 7,000 feet.

However, Connor stressed that the value of sports tourism should ultimately be measured by its contribution to Caribbean people.

He said the proposed summit and cancer foundation represented an opportunity for the region’s tourism and sporting institutions to give back to communities whose support had helped build their international reputations.

“It is something that will benefit our people of the Caribbean,” he said.

Janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com