ene.31.2008

The 2008 Legacy Live conference confirmed that the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee(TTOC) is on the right course with its focus on development and sustainability.

The two day International Legacy conference ended on Wednesday(30 January) at the Needham room in the Barbados Hilton.

The National Olympic committee was represented by its president Larry Romany and secretary general Brian Lewis. The Tobago House of Assembly(THA) also attended the conference in the person of Director of Sport Theophilus Trim, John Arnold, Rodill Clarke and Caroline Daniel-Smith.

Presented by pmpLegacy in partnership with UK Sport and Legacy Barbados, Legacy Lives 2008 featured keynote speakers and workshop facilitators from around the world.

One of the objectives of the conference is to foster a better understanding of the importance of legacy planning and implementation when hosting sporting and cultural events.

Romany and Lewis also met with pmp Legacy founder Peter Mann to discuss prospects for a T&T 2018 Commonwealth Games bid.

"Since 1997 we(TTOC)have developed a myriad of projects that while they weren't called legacy from what I heard at the conference they are in fact legacy projects. I was encouraged by that"

"We (TTOC) must focus on the measurables and not only on the esoteric and nebulous. High cost projects such as the Caribbean and Commonwealth Games must place priority on pragmatic and quantitative Legacy factors if the expenditure outlay is to be credibly justified".

Romany believes that T&T can become the sporting capitial of the region and the national Olympic chief says that the conference further strengthened his determination to ensure that the TTOC remains resolute in articulating and advocating that ambition.

He congratulated the THA and its Sport and Sport Tourism unit for placing sustainability and Legacy as critical success factors.

"The THA is showing foresight and vision. I am sure that Mr. Trim and his team came away with a better perspective of the challenegs and issues" added Romany.