There is bound to be some good lesson one can deduce or learn from the epic journey of the Queen’s Baton now in Anguilla this week, as it makes its way through 70 nations and at the end of its tour, in October, will have travelled for 340 days and covered 190,000 kilometres. Interesting, it is travelling across land, air, sea and via many different modes of transport, encountering a multiplicity of people of every race, language, culture and socio-economic background and way of life. That Anguilla tops the list of countries included in the tour, is perhaps an honour to us as a budding island nation and a developing people, with many of our young nationals, of the likes of Shara Proctor, excelling in the athletic world.

But that is not all. For us, as proud participants in the upcoming Commonwealth Games, in Delhi, India, it is both a source of motivation and hope. It certainly lends encouragement to our aspiring professional athletes and also trumpets a silent call to those of our other youth, laid back or otherwise, to join in carving a competitive niche in the sporting world for themselves. Though Anguilla is but a tiny speck in the Commonwealth of Nations, the passage of the Queen’s Baton through our land and seascape, tells us that there is no problem in being small and that the only requirement is to get involved in the opportunities and challenges that await and beckon us.

For us, and the rest of the Commonwealth, the Queen’s Baton Relay is a symbol of goodwill, peace and unity. Here in Anguilla, and elsewhere, it makes a statement that through sports, there can be the peaceful pursuit of a spirit of harmonious human relations, unifying peoples everywhere and providing hope and involvement for those who feel a sense of being forgotten. Its passage through Anguilla will evoke a greater local interest in the Commonwealth Games because at least eight of our top athletes, will be rubbing shoulders with many others from around the world, and having a chance of making a name for themselves in professional international sports.

There is every good reason to highly commend the Commonwealth Games Association Committee in Anguilla for its sterling leadership and work in organising the island’s participation in the games in India in October, and for selecting the hard-working athletes to represent the island. Thanks too to the universities and colleges abroad which have helped to prepare some of our athletes for such events as the Commonwealth Games and other international competitions. Not to be forgotten are the organisers in India who have agreed to pay for the training of our athletes, the cost of logistics and the eventual travel expenses of both athletes and officials, as well as the local sponsors who will also be assisting.

It will all work towards the greater good of Anguilla and its people. Let us hope that there will be many more opportunities for our young people to compete at high-level international athletic competitions for their personal development and to inspire other Anguillian youth to walk in their footsteps. It is in this spirit that The Anguillian welcomes the Queen’s Baton to Anguilla and wishes it bon voyage when it leaves our shores.

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