 Canok President Mr. Brian Lewis, St. Lucia Olympic Committee President, Ms. Fortuna Belrose, other Executive Members of Canok, Presidents and Secretaries-General, pleasant good day to you all. On behalf of the government and people of St. Lucia, I bid you a very warm welcome to our beautiful island on the occasion of the 2021 General Assembly of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees, Canok. Over the past 20 months, we have had to endure the challenges of our sporting activities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, we have reached a significant crossroad in this pandemic where the reality is we need to coexist with COVID-19 and its intended consequences. Therefore, this General Assembly is historic, as this is the opportune moment to re-evaluate the modus operandi of Canok to satisfy the expectations of our athletes in the region. Our athletes deserve the best guidance and direction to continue and maintain excellence in their performances. Hence, we are counting on your collective wisdom to promote best practices that will positively impact sports. The notion of Canok inspires regional integration and demonstrates how we can mutually pool our limited resources to achieve progress and break barriers in the sporting world. This gathering should invoke the future of sports, its governance, administration, ethics, and the stake it holds in the development of our region. The future of sports should not leave the region behind, and Canok must be the flag bearer to usher sports post-pandemic. Just imagine, eSports is a billion-dollar industry, and we have not started to claim our space in this field. Today, the principal objectives of Canok are just as strong and remain relevant from its inception in 2003. The premise on which this organization was instituted is still significant to facilitate this digital generation of millennials into a sporting industry which can sustain livelihoods that can mitigate generational poverty. The Constitution of Canok identifies two main principles. The first principle speaks to the celebration and conduct of the Caribbean Games. In keeping with this spirit, the inaugural Games will schedule to be hosted in 2021. However, this had to be postponed to 2022 due to the impact of the COVID-19 world pandemic. The rationale for the Games remains strong as we ensure that our under-23 athletes have an excellent level of preparedness as they enter on the world stage. It is my understanding that Guadeloupe has affirmed its commitment to hosting the Games for which I express gratitude and desire to witness countless successes of our athletes. The second principle identifies the promotion, development, and protection of sports as well as the Olympic movement in the Caribbean. This principle continues to resonate to true through the sport and fraternity. The protection of our athletes, especially our juniors, cannot be trivialized as not only are they the future of the movement but it is on their legacy that it will thrive. The opportunities for participation by our very people will down well for the general development of sports and sportsmanship and to enable a sporting culture throughout the region. The continued promotion of the Olympic movement throughout the region will allow our people to become world ambassadors and spread the ideals of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the Games, to our corner of the world. It is against this backdrop that I encourage you to think outside the box to ensure that these principles are adequately met. We are no longer in the era of business as usual. Therefore, let us act accordingly. If these few words that we conclude by extending my best wishes to you for a successful General Assembly.