CARICOM Road Race on 7 July
The CARICOM Road Race will happen after the Meeting of the CARICOM Conference of Heads of Government for the first time since its initial staging in 2005.
From its inception, the Road Race has been hosted by various Member States as an opener to the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community. This time, it will be held on Saturday July 7, 2018, at 6:00 a.m The Thirty-ninth Meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government is scheduled from 4-6 July, 2018, in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The CARICOM Road Race, which will have a 5k and 10k component, begins at the Montego Bay Convention Centre heading west towards downtown Montego Bay, making the first left turn at Ironshore and returning to the Convention Centre to end the race. Participants in the 5K option of the race will take the same route turning at the 2.5km mark and returning to the Convention Centre.
The 5K run/walk option is expected to facilitate greater participation by the growing numbers of Jamaicans now participating in locally staged 5K events. It will also provide an opportunity for delegates to unwind following the Heads of Government Meeting.
The idea of a CARICOM Road Race was first mooted in 2005 at a meeting of staff members of the Directorate of Human and Social Development (HSD) of the CARICOM Secretariat along with well-known sports Commentator and Consultant, Reds Perriera. The meeting decided to stage several events aimed at not only re-introducing the CARICOM Secretariat Sports Desk to the Region, but also to use the convening power of sports to bring the Region’s people together.
The decision to plan the race was also in keeping with the fact that the UN General Assembly had designated 2005 as International Year of Sports and Physical Education. The CARICOM Secretariat is charged with coordinating the race in partnership with the Member State in which the Heads of Government Summit is being held. The first 10K Road Race took place in Castries, Saint Lucia.