The Saint Lucia Aquatics Federation has withdrawn its bid to host the 2027 CARIFTA Aquatics Championships because construction on the National Aquatic Centre (NAC) is expected to extend past Easter next year. The Bahamas has lodged a tentative bid to host the Caribbean’s top junior swimmers from March 26 to 31 at the Betty-Kelly-Kenning Aquatic Centre in Nassau.
In a letter dated March 12, SLAF president Paula James informed CARIFTA Congress chairperson Steven Joachim that Saint Lucia cannot host the 54th edition of the regional aquatics competition. This followed a letter from the Department of Youth Development and Sports about the status of the National Aquatic Centre’s completion.
“Regrettably, the update indicates that the facility will not be completed within the timeframe required to support Saint Lucia’s bid to host CARIFTA Aquatics Championships in 2027,” James said. “While this news is very disappointing for us, we understand that the alternate host country will now have to start making their preparations. Once the National Aquatic Centre is completed, Saint Lucia looks forward to bid to host once again at a future date.”
Construction on the NAC got underway in earnest in April 2025. Located at Beauséjour, Gros Islet, adjacent to the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground and the National Tennis Centre, the facility is set to feature an Olympic-sized 50-metre pool with a movable bulkhead, a warm-up pool, and stands in an enclosed venue.
On March 9, the Ministry of Education, Youth Development and Sports, through permanent secretary Dr Uralise Delaire, informed James and the SLAF that construction of the NAC would not be completed in time for Saint Lucia to host the CARIFTA Swimming Championships in 2027.
“While this development is unfortunate, the Government of Saint Lucia remains fully committed to the completion of the National Aquatics Centre and to the continued development of aquatics in Saint Lucia,” the ministry said. “The Government also looks forward to continued collaboration with the Saint Lucia Aquatics Federation toward the successful hosting of a future edition of the CARIFTA Swimming Championships once the facility is completed.”
Kenson Casimir, Minister for Education, Youth Development and Sports, said the new national facility will be completed next year. Speaking exclusively to St Lucia Times, he said: “We hope swimming continues to take its place in sports development in Saint Lucia… Of course, we know our team, they continue to will themselves on, despite the fact that they don’t have a 50-metre international-standard pool. Once that’s dealt with within the next 12 to 14 months, we can see improved times, improved performances.”
This is at least the second time Saint Lucia has pulled out of hosting CARIFTA Aquatics, having done so in 2019 as well. Construction did not begin at all that year, but the modular pool was shipped to Saint Lucia in early 2023, awaiting completion of the superstructure. Site clearing was undertaken in 2024. Should The Bahamas be unable to host CARIFTA Aquatics 2027, Trinidad & Tobago, the 2025 host, has offered to be the backup. Jamaica won the bid for 2028.
