The government of Trinidad & Tobago announced on Friday that it is canceling the first quadrennial Caribbean Games that had been scheduled for July 12-19 because of fears of Swine Flu infections.Health Minister Jerry Narace broke the news at a media briefing. “Participants, officials and guests attending the Games from other countries can be a source of additional infection for the population of Trinidad and Tobago,” Narace told reporters.
The Games were aimed at showcasing the Caribbean's athletes and would have attracted more than a thousand athletes from 26 countries. Narace said visiting athletes would have had to be housed together and the communal living would have provided the ideal environment for transmission of the virus.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a Swine Flu pandemic and expects the virus to continue to spread over the next few months.
Narace said although there are no serious cases of the virus in the country that could suddenly change.
Sports minister Gary Hunt, who was also at the news conference, acknowledged that the cancellation is a major disappointment, but added that "the health of our people is more important.”
He did not say how much money the government has spent on the planning and preparation but the original budget was $35 million. Hunt promised to give an exact figure next week.
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