The Quaich is a commemorative symbol of the Commonwealth Youth Games and was the idea of the organisers of the inaugural games in Scotland in 2000. Donated by the city of Edinburgh, it is a two-handed silver cup 13 cm high and 18 cm wide that is passed on from one host to the next at the closing ceremony.
On 12 September 2011 at the closing ceremony in the Isle of Man the Quaich was handed over to Tapasu Leung Wei, the president of the Samoa Commonwealth Games Association, whose country is hosting the games this year.
Ministers have agreed to express an interest in hosting the games, which are the the youth version of the Commonwealth Games and feature competitors aged 14 to 18 competing in up to eight sports chosen by the home jurisdiction.
If a bid were made and the Island was successful, Jersey would follow in the footsteps of previous hosts Edinburgh, which hosted the first games in 2000, and the city of Bendigo in Australia, the Indian city of Pune and the Isle of Man.
The next games are due to take place in the South Pacific country of Samoa in September followed by St Lucia in 2017 after a change in the quadrennial cycle to ensure the event does not clash with the Olympics.
Politicians in Northern Ireland have already agreed to bid for the 2021 games, which they estimate will cost around £7 million for them to host.
Constable Steve Pallett, an Assistant Education Minister with responsibility for sport, said that expressing an interest in hosting the games had been discussed at last week’s Council of Ministers’ meeting.
‘The process needs to be discussed with the local Commonwealth Games Association and the Commonwealth Games Federation. At the present time it is just an expression of interest, no decision has been made as to taking it any further than that.
‘The decision in terms of who will be holding the games will be made in September this year so it is quite a tight time frame.’
Derek Ferguson, secretary general of the Commonwealth Games Association of Jersey, added: ‘We are aware of the ministers’ meeting and we will be following up with the appropriate people in the course of the next week or two,’ he said.
A maximum of 1,000 competitors from every jurisdiction with a Commonwealth Games Association are invited to take part in the games. At the last games in 2011 804 competitors from 63 countries took part in seven sports and 112 different events.
Jersey is due to host the Island Games this summer and over the years dozens of young Island sportsmen and women have competed in the Commonwealth Youth Games. In 2011 Jersey sent seven youngsters to the Isle of Man to compete, four of them swimmers and three athletes.
Politicians in Northern Ireland have already agreed to bid for the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games, however.
On 18 November 2014 Michelle McIlveen proposed a DUP motion calling for the move and the motion was passed on an oral vote.
JERSEY could become a first-class destination for sport, festivals, conferences and event-led tourism, the Island’s new Economic Development Minister said after last year’s election.
In a speech to the House, Senator Lyndon Farnham, who beat challenger Deputy Andrew Lewis to the role by 35 votes to nine with three abstentions, said he would work to ensure that the Island became a premier venue for a range of reasons.
‘It’s time to put economic prosperity back to the top of the agenda,’ he said. ‘It’s time once again to get behind the traditions of tourism and agriculture to ensure they get back to being pillars of the community, as they once were.
‘We can be in no doubt that following the success and legacies of the London Olympics and Commonwealth Games that sport and culture are major economic contributors.
‘I want to develop Jersey as a leading venue for sports, festivals, conferences and event-led tourism.
‘My aims are to return the economy to growth while creating jobs and opportunities.’ In challenging for the role, Deputy Lewis said there were three key ingredients needed for business to thrive: an educated workforce, access to money and access to land.
He added that entrepreneurship needed to be portrayed as an attractive career choice. ‘It’s the Economic Development Minister’s role to ensure that Jersey attracts the right offers and right businesses.
‘I believe we can attract a Google, a Microsoft or a Facebook to Jersey.’
- First held in Edinburgh in August 2000, where 733 athletes from 14 countries competed in eight sports over three days.
- Other host nations have included Bendigo in Australia, Pune in India and the Isle of Man.
- After Samoa the games are due to move to St Lucia in 2017.
- Competitors need to be aged 14 to 18 and the programme must consist of a minimum of six and a maximum of eight sports, with no more than two teams sports.
- The sports are chosen by the host out of a list of possibilities. Athletics and swimming are compulsory.[/breakout]
