MONTEGO BAY, St James — Five of the 25 teams taking part in the 40th Lime CARIFTA Games were due in the island yesterday as teams and officials started arriving for Saturday’s start of the three-day championships to be held at the Montego Bay Sports Complex at Catherine Hall.

Dominica and St Kitts & Nevis arrived earlier in the day at the Norman Manley International, while three more — St Lucia, the British Virgin Islands and the Bahamas — arrived at the Sangster international here later yesterday. Another 11 teams are expected in today.

The event, the launching pad for many international track and field careers, will be staged in Jamaica for the sixth time and returns here for the first time since 1996.

Up to yesterday, work was still continuing at the venue to get it up to an acceptable level for the event and David Miller, a member of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), told the Observer they were putting “the final touches in place” and all systems were ready for Saturday’s meet.

The venue was a bee-hive of activity yesterday with workmen washing the Mondo track, cutting grass, putting up the bases for the flag poles, setting up temporary stands for athletes and guests and watering the grass infield.

Miller, who is responsible for the finance and marketing of the event, said the accommodation of all the athletes and officials at the Grand Palladium hotel had been confirmed, while transportation was also in place.

Starting last night, equipment — including starting blocks, lane markers and hurdles — were to be transported from Kingston, along with display boards.

There will be a meeting of all the officials tomorrow morning, Miller said, including those from overseas.