Minister of Social Care, Steve Blackett (right) and Coordinator of the Senior Games,??Rawle Clarke, look over plans for this year’s games at the launch ceremony. (C. Pitt/BGIS)

Minister of Social Care, Steve Blackett, has commended the National Senior Games for successfully promoting the concept of active ageing.

His comments came today, during the launch of this year’s tournament at the Ministry’s Warrens office.

Mr. Blackett stated: "The staging of the National Senior Games is not an end in itself, but a means to an end…As supported by testimonies of some of our senior athletes, the impact of the Games on their health status has made the effort a worthwhile one."

He also noted that this island’s seniors were "valuable resources", and expressed hope that the Games would continue to act as a forum through which this could be seen.

"…I specifically speak about our seniors as ambassadors for our country. The National Senior Games…is used to select representatives for the Huntsman World Senior Games, [and] through our athletes, Barbados has been placed on the map in that part of the world…," the Social Care Minister asserted.

Cycling, table tennis, basketball, netball, tennis and archery will once again be the featured sporting disciplines of the Senior Games, when it commences on Wednesday, April 6. The track and field events, which usually culminate the activities will be held on Saturday, May 14 at the National Stadium, Waterford, St. Michael.

This is the 10th anniversary of the National Senior Games and the Ministry of Social Care has organised a number of activities to commemorate the occasion.

On Sunday, March 27, Deputy Chairman of the National Assistance Board, Senator David Durant will deliver an address at a celebratory church service to be held at the Carrington Wesleyan Holiness Church, Welches, St. Michael, at 10:00 a.m.

This will be followed by an Evening of Nostalgia at the 3Ws Oval at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, on Saturday, April 9, from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. It will feature masters’ cricket, football, hockey, tennis, netball and basketball.

An awards ceremony for persons who have made significant contributions to the development of the Games will bring closure to the season.

sharifa.medford@barbados.gov.bb

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