Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
Minister of Local Government, Community Development and Sports, Portia Simpson Miller (right), receives the Queen's Baton from Shannon Stacey, yesterday, at the Norman Manley Airport. Looking on is Mike Fennell, president of the Commonwealth Games Federation and the Jamaica Olympic Association. - CONTRIBUTED
THE QUEEN'S Baton Relay arrived in Jamaica yesterday and was handed over by Australian Shannon Stacey, the coordinator, to Minister of Local Government, Community Development and Sports, Portia Simpson Miller, at the Norman Manley Airport.
The Queen's Baton Relay has been travelling around the globe since March and made its 38th stop in Jamaica en route to 71 nations before arriving in Melbourne, Australia for the 18th Commonwealth Games starting on March 15, 2006.
The Queen's Baton team of Stacey, Peter Dikschei, asset protector, and Jerry Galea, photographer, arrived at the airport and was pleasantly surprise by the welcome it received from the media.
HISTORICAL TRAVEL
"In the other countries, it's a low-key event but we were a bit surprised by the interest shown by you (media)," Dikschei told The Gleaner.
Dikschei, the man responsible for the security of the baton, said it was the first time in the Queen's Baton's sojourn that he had lost sight of it because he had not been allowed to carry it as part of his luggage.
Stacey noted that it was the first time in the history of the Games that the baton would visit all 71 nations.
"It is very important because it is the curtain-raiser and it gives every Commonwealth nation a chance to join in on its journey. It is the first time the Queen's message is recorded on a chip," she said.
Simpson Miller, in accepting the baton, said she was "pleased that the Queen's Baton Relay is here today and the people of Jamaica are extremely pleased to share in this historic event. It is very important for us and I will keep on stressing the importance of sport tourism.
"Jamaica, the premier sports destination of the Caribbean, welcomes our leg of the Queen's Baton Relay as we look forward to participating in the 18th Commonwealth Games in Australia next year," she added.
The baton was taken from the airport under police escort to the main statue at the National Stadium before moving to King's House in the evening.
Mike Fennell, president of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) and the Commonwealth Games Federation, said that the Queen's Baton's journey to each Commonwealth nation was unprecedented.
"There has been no other Games organisation able to achieve this. It's very exciting," said Fennell.
LATEST IN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
The Queen's Baton symbolises the gathering of people from across the Commonwealth at the four-yearly festivals of sport and culture. The baton relays have been the curtain-raiser to every Games since 1958.
The Queen's Baton harnesses the very latest in digital and other communication technology to enable people across the globe to join the baton on its epic journey to the opening ceremony of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
The baton is made of gold and magnesium and weighs 1,500g, standing 90cm tall and eight centimetres wide. The high-tech baton tracking technology housed in the baton enables everyone to pinpoint the baton's whereabouts live on the internet.
The baton also has Her Majesty's message safely enclosed in a memory chip to be read to the athletes.
