Minister Richard Skerritt. SKNIS Photo

Teams from Australia, South Africa, Scotland and the Netherlands will be based in the Federation during first round matches of the top cricket event which officially begins on March 11, 2007.

Minister Skerritt used the opportunity of the Commonwealth Ministers of Sport Meeting held on Tuesday, March 14 in Melbourne to hold brief private meetings with Patricia Ferguson, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport for Scotland and Senator Rod Kemp, the Sport Minister of Australia.

The “Land Down Under” is currently hosting the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

The minister also thanked Senator Kemp for the contribution that the Australian Government through the Australian Caribbean Community Sport Development Programme (ACCSDP) has been making to the CARICOM region.

One such contribution takes place early next month at a sport administrators workshop slated for St. Kitts. This is expected to benefit sport administrators within the school system and national sport associations.

Minister Skerritt also met briefly with British Sport Minister Richard Cabon and apprised him of the intention of the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture to promote St. Kitts as a regular pre-season venue for the training of professional English county cricket teams.

The St. Kitts and Nevis minister also congratulated his British counterpart for winning the bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

The Commonwealth Ministers Meeting was held in Melbourne, Australia. It preceded the official opening of the 2006 Commonwealth Games.