Montego Bay Set to Host Special Olympics Caribbean Beach Games

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica — Montego Bay Deputy Mayor Councillor Dwight Crawford has welcomed the staging of the Special Olympics Caribbean Beach Games in Jamaica’s second city, describing the event as an opportunity to promote inclusion and leave a lasting legacy across the region.

The Games are scheduled for November 18 to 22 at Harmony Beach Park, with approximately 220 athletes from 20 Caribbean countries, including Jamaica, expected to participate.

Athletes will compete in basketball, football, bocce, volleyball and open-water swimming.

The official programme will begin on November 19 with an opening ceremony and dinner at Harmony Beach Park.

Speaking at a press conference at the S Hotel in Montego Bay on Tuesday, August 4, Crawford said hosting the Games was both a privilege and a responsibility for the city.

“Hosting the Special Olympics Caribbean Beach Games is a privilege for us here in the city. It is also a responsibility that we gladly accept,” he said.

Crawford noted that while Montego Bay is internationally recognised for its beaches and tourism industry, the city also wants to build a reputation as a community that promotes inclusion and creates opportunities for people of all abilities.

“These games allow us to focus on the ability instead of the limitations. They remind us that everyone deserves a chance to participate, to compete and to celebrate,” he said.

He encouraged Montego Bay residents to support the event and extend a warm Jamaican welcome to the athletes, officials and visitors expected to attend.

“We want every athlete, every official, and every visitor to leave with wonderful memories of our city and our country,” Crawford said, adding that those memories should be shaped not only by the competition but also by the warmth and kindness they experience.

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr Gary McKenzie, of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Strategic Operations Portfolio, reaffirmed the JCF’s support for the Games.

McKenzie said the JCF has maintained a longstanding partnership with Special Olympics Jamaica spanning several decades.

“We recognise that we should be a part of people’s lives,” he said, stressing that effective policing involves building meaningful relationships with citizens in addition to enforcing the law.

Police personnel from across Jamaica will support the Games by providing security and participating in the celebration of the athletes’ achievements, McKenzie said.

He also reaffirmed the JCF’s intention to remain a long-term partner of the Special Olympics movement as it works to expand opportunities and promote inclusion for persons with disabilities.

Executive Director of Special Olympics for the Caribbean, Lorna Bell, said preparations for the Games have brought together a wide network of public- and private-sector partners.

Among the organisations supporting the event are UNESCO, the Lions Club of Canada, the CHASE Fund, the Digicel Foundation and the JCF.

President of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jason Russell, also endorsed the Games, saying the Special Olympics provides an important reminder of the role businesses can play in supporting meaningful social causes.

With hundreds of athletes expected from across the Caribbean, organisers say the event will not only showcase sporting talent but also reinforce the message that inclusion and opportunity should be available to everyone.

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