By FRED STURRUP, NG Associate Editor

Caribbean governments are notorious for placing sports far down on the list of importance when budget allocation time comes. This is a complaint often repeated by sports leaders throughout the region. The regional elite athletes also find that their peers, particularly those from the United Kingdom, other parts of Europe, the United States and Canada are afforded programs and perks that enable them to function much more comfortably than they do. Is the mindset changing?

One gets the feeling that this could well be the case. There is an event kicking off in 2009 that certainly puts all Caribbean central administrations right on the spot. It's the first Caribbean Games, scheduled for Trinidad & Tobago next July 13-19.

Readers might ask why. Well, here's the answer.

At the beginning of this decade, Heads of State in the Caribbean concluded following a number of sessions that "in order to further the development of sports in the (area), there is need for the celebration of games for elite athletes on a periodic basis," so says the Caribbean National Olympic Committees' (CANOC) website. It was, it is understood, the Caribbean Caucus of NOCs that endorsed a higher level games for senior athletes of the region, akin to the Carifta Games (held separately in track and field, swimming and boxing).

The Caucus gave way to CANOC in 2003 and the concept of the Caribbean Games was born. In July of 2009, it will be a reality.

Presently, organizers (with the Beijing Olympics over), are busy beginning the process for Carib Games 2009. There will be five disciplines of competition as informed in this space yesterday. They are athletics, boxing, netball, tennis and volleyball.

Although the games have been crafted by CANOC, the governments of the Caribbean are fully behind the venture and really they are the ones who are indeed obligated to ensure that a signature sports extravaganza is the result. The Government of Trinidad & Tobago, headed by Prime Minister Patrick Manning, has shown the way by coming up with an initial $1 million with more to come apart from the high costs of hosting the initial Caribbean Games. Really, our regional governments simply must deliver on this one because actually, they are the ones who have given the mandate for a "Celebration of Games for Elite Athletes."

The games are to be held every four years with the NOCs selecting the teams from those submitted by those respective federations that have verified qualifying standards.

The 2009 Caribbean Games are much-anticipated and it will be interesting also, to see how our governments respond to a necessary happening inspired by them.