𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐀 𝐃𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐆𝐌 𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐔𝐀
Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, the Honourable Phillip Watts, held discussions with Ms. Meenu Singh Bist, Director in the Department of Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, while attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua.
The meeting focused on advancing the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Sports between the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Government of the Republic of India.
Both officials expressed their commitment to deepening the longstanding relationship between the two countries and creating meaningful opportunities for cooperation in sports development, institutional strengthening, knowledge exchange, investment and people-to-people engagement.
Minister Watts emphasised the importance of translating the MoU into action, through practical initiatives that deliver tangible benefits for athletes, coaches, sporting institutions and the wider populations of both countries. He highlighted the need to move beyond the agreement’s framework towards coordinated implementation in areas of shared interest.
As an immediate next step, both officials agreed to establish a bilateral committee to advance six priority areas of collaboration:
1. Athlete, Coach and Technical Development
2. Sport Science, Sports Medicine and Anti-Doping
3. Inclusive Sport and Para-Sport Development
4. Sport Tourism, Events and International Exchanges
5. Sport Manufacturing, Technology Transfer and Investment
6. Sports Governance, Policy and Legislative Development
The proposed committee would provide a mechanism for coordinating follow-up discussions, developing proposals and identifying practical steps towards implementation across these priority areas.
The discussions reflected a shared commitment to strengthening sporting institutions, expanding opportunities for athletes and technical personnel, and fostering closer ties between the peoples of Trinidad and Tobago and India.
Minister Watts’ engagement during CHOGM forms part of efforts to advance international partnerships that support sports development and create meaningful opportunities for Trinidad and Tobago’s sporting community.
