By Neto Baptiste
The Director of Sailability Antigua, Bob Bailey, said his long-term goal is to see Antigua and Barbuda represented at a major sailing event for differently abled athletes.
He made the statement on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show on Wednesday where he expressed excitement over the growth of the programme which offers free sailing lessons to those living with disabilities.
“My big aim is to have an Antiguan who has got the capacity to enter, in the first place, some regional [competition] and that could mean going to America and representing Antigua and that would be my absolute joy. One day it will happen,” he said.
On Wednesday, Bailey revealed that close to 3,000 launches had taken place in 2020 where the Sailability programme is concerned. He however listed funding for the programme as one of the immediate needs.
He however commended the government for its contributions to the initiative over the years.
“I have a lot of time and respect for your government in terms of what they are doing. I come from the United Kingdom and so I don’t like to lean too heavily on the government at the moment with all the pressures and problems that they must have financially. They have been giving us EC$15,000 per year which is being very generous of them so they have made a contribution,” he said. Individuals wishing to donate to the programme or have someone enrolled, can do so by calling Bailey at 783-8553 or via the National Sailing Academy.
