Jamaica’s tourist capital, Montego Bay, is to host the meeting and retreat of the executive board of Americas Paralympic Committee (AmPC), the governing body for 34 national paralympic committees of North, South and Central America and the Caribbean.

With the meeting scheduled for December, history is in the making as it will be the first time that the regional apex organisation or any ruling body in the global Paralympic movement will be in session in Jamaica.

The decision to convene in Jamaica was endorsed by the president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Andrew Parsons following a visit to the island in March last year. He described the island as the hub for the development of Paralympic sports in the Caribbean.

AmPC Vice-President Christopher Samuda interpreted the historic decision to hold the meeting and retreat as a vote of confidence in Jamaica.

“It places on the country an obligation to ensure that the declarations that will come out of meetings, will not only create capital for the local movement but, more importantly, give greater currency and value to the region’s principal assets, our athletes, and the business of sport for our 34 members,” he said.

The AmPC owns the Para Pan American Games, which will be held in August next year in Lima, Peru, as well as the Para South American Games and the Youth Para Pan American Games. One of the principal items on the meeting agenda will be the staging of the inaugural senior Para Central American and Caribbean Games.

The games will be a welcomed event for the talents of the subregion. However, Samuda is looking further ahead.

“Our commitment to the athletes of the Caribbean and Central America goes beyond providing them with a stage to self-actualise in competition and earn sponsorships. One of the critical outcomes for us of any of our games is a greater understanding and friendship among the athletes that enables a unified purpose and builds a common humanity. The Caribbean and Central America will have the opportunity of discovering and developing commonalities and cementing bonds,” Samuda noted.

With strong partnerships with UBER International, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, PUMA International, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), BDH Paras Foundation among others, AmPC is moving strategically in solidifying a model of sporting and corporate excellence and sustainability.