Kingston, Jamaica: St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Sport, the Creative Economy et al., Hon. Samal Duggins, joined other regional Ministers of Sport and top-level officials from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) at the Third Forum with Ministers Responsible for Sport in the Caribbean, for a two-day symposium (Jan 16 and 17), in Jamaica. The convention focused on further harmonizing the region’s approach to clean sport.
The meeting also constituted a critical part of the consultation cycle leading to the next iteration of the WADA Code, which is expected in 2027. Other partners in the two-day summit included the Canadian Center for Ethics in Sports (CCES), the Canadian Anti-Doping Program, the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organization (RADO) and the Special Olympics Global Leadership Coalition for Inclusion. The session ended with the Ministers of Sport, WADA Officials and the representative from the Caribbean (RADO) signing the “Kingston Declaration”- an affirmation of Caribbean Sport Ministers’ advocacy and support for clean sport.
Minister Duggins lobbied colleagues at the round table discussions to consider the restructuring of the current uniformed stipulations for countries, by WADA, to a tier system, to reflect interventions that are more suited to St. Kitts and Nevis and other small island states.
The Sport Minister highlighted St. Kitts and Nevis’ current level of compliance, 73%, with the UNESCO Convention Against Doping in Sport, compared to non-compliance just over two years ago and noted that such is indicative of his government’s commitment to clean sport.
“Yes, we are currently the most compliant country within the OECS but we do not want to stop there. We want to be fully compliant. Hence, we need the requisite support from various agencies and partners,” the Sport Minister Duggins stated.
Minister Duggins also utilized the conference to share St. Kitts and Nevis’ plan to officially launch its Anti-Doping in Sport campaign within schools at the end of January. The awareness campaign includes playing of jingles and Anti-Doping videos on multiple platforms, the unveiling of a modified educational module specific to young student athletes, capacity building sessions for sport coaches and support personnel and an enhanced partnership with the Ministry of Sport to have advanced informational presence at sporting events.
This launch is part of the Federation’s project submission, “Closing the Gap; Moving to Full Compliance with Anti-Doping in Sport,” to UNESCO Convention Against Doping in Sport. As a result, St. Kitts and Nevis secured funding in the amount of US$30,000 from the UNESCO Fund for the Elimination of Doping in Sport, for the implementation of the program.
The project also highlights greater collaboration with UNESCO and the Caribbean RADO to attain targeted improvements, while moving to full compliance.
Ministers of Sport from Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia and the host country Jamaica were in attendance with Minister Duggins.
Minister Duggins was accompanied by Shawn Seabrookes, Focal Point, at the Anti-Doping Secretariat, a component of the Ministry of Sport.
The Ministry of Sport St. Kitts and Nevis is underpinned by a set of core values, which are embraced as the guiding principles to be followed throughout in policy design, implementation and review of sporting initiatives.
WADA’s primary role is to develop, harmonize and coordinate anti-doping rules and policies across all sports and countries.
Given that governments cannot be signatories to the World Anti-Doping Code, the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport allows governments to formally recognize the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Code.