Caribbean must take a very prominent role in sport ­– Min Ramson

…as C’bean nations gather in Guyana for regional anti-doping training

Representatives from ten Caribbean nations have assembled in Guyana for a three-day training workshop aimed at strengthening the region’s anti-doping framework and promoting fair play in sports.

These delegates are from the Turks and Caicos Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, Dominica, St Kitts, St Lucia, Suriname, and Guyana. The training runs from October 24 to 26, 2025, at the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Headquarters in Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
The initiative is being held in collaboration with the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (RADO), the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr highlighted Guyana’s increased involvement in global sports governance, following its recent appointment to the approvals committee of UNESCO Funds.

“Now that we have both our election to the approval committee of the fund as well as our support for the Bureau in the next conference… it certainly places Guyana and its role of responsibility in the Caribbean in a very important and strategic position, as well as an opportunity,” Ramson noted.
He added that while the Caribbean must take a very prominent role in sport, it must also protect clean sport and the integrity of sports.
“There is a huge battle that all of our officers and all of the persons involved in the anti-doping movement… While I know that it’s extremely important, and I would be the first proponent for that, having said that, we have come a very long way in this space in the Caribbean. We have demonstrated to the world that our talent is not a talent that can be ignored.”

He added that it has been proven over the decades that the Caribbean has the talent, and because of that, “it is our role, our responsibility, to take that leadership opportunity that exists, in the space that exists. We must now take it.”
The Minister, nevertheless, congratulated the GOA and partners from WADA and RADO for assembling in a coordinated way to draft policies that can be impactful. “The region has to now function in a far more coordinated way. We are small, but we are not tiny. We are small, but we must also be impactful,” he noted.
However, Chairperson of the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (Caribbean RADO) Dr Karen Pilgrim welcomed the participants and expressed appreciation to them and their respective national Olympic committees for supporting the programme.
«We want to extend our gratitude to everyone who was able to come here, especially on short notice,» Dr Pilgrim said. «This is a crucial time for anti-doping control, with three major games coming up next year. There’s a great need for doping control officers, both out of competition and in competition. We look forward to a productive three days.”

Furthermore, Director of Anti-Doping Services at the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) Matthew Koop emphasised the importance of global partnerships in promoting clean sport.
“For those who may not be familiar with the CCES, we are Canada’s national anti-doping agency,” Koop explained. “Our mission is simple – to protect the integrity of sport. Our vision is for sport to be safe, inclusive, fair, clean, and accessible. We’re pleased to be part of this capacity-building workshop in Guyana.”
Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Olympic Association Godfrey Munroe reaffirmed the GOA’s dedication to promoting integrity and authenticity in sport.
“The Guyana Olympic Association is proud to partner with Caribbean RADO and WADA,” Munroe stated. “Clean sport is critical to validating and authenticating the sporting movement, and we are happy to play our part in upholding that standard.”
The regional anti-doping training workshop represents another step in the Caribbean’s ongoing commitment to ensuring ethical sporting practices and strengthening institutional capacity ahead of upcoming international competitions.