James Cordice (R), coordinator and pioneer of the St. Vincent
and the Grenadines Penn Relays initiative, with Master
of Ceremonies Vincentian Judge Emille Cox, at a reception,
in late April 2019 in Philadelphia. Photo by Nelson A. King
Caribbean Life, April 3-9, 2020 27
By Nelson A. King
Stating that the risk of crosscontamination
far outweighs
the benefits attained from the
meet, the Philadelphia-based
pioneer and coordinator of St.
Vincent and the Grenadines’
participation in the prestigious
Penn Relays Carnival at the
University of Pennsylvania says
that, amid the coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic, Vincentian
athletes will not compete
in next month’s Penn Relays.
James Cordice – who is
president and founder of the
organization group, Technical,
Educational, Athletic, Mentoring
(TEAM) SVG International
Support, Inc. – told Caribbean
Life over the weekend that,
after consultation with the
Ministry of Education in St.
Vincent and the Grenadines,
which was ultimately advised
by the Ministry Health, he
“concluded that the Penn
Relays’ participation of the
schools from SVG (St. Vincent
and the Grenadines) in 2020
will not take place.”
Cordice noted that, to date,
the University of Pennsylvania
has not cancelled the 126th
running of the Penn Relays at
the Franklin Field Stadium in
Philadelphia, but added: “As
most of my colleagues agree,
it’s a good idea to err on the
side of caution.”
“2020 Penn Relays would
have seen and felt TSSS (Thomas
Saunders Secondary
School) exemplary participation
for 10 consecutive years
and the SVG Boys Grammar
school for the 4th year,” he
said. “But there will be next
year.
“There would be some lost
opportunities for exiting students,
but I definitely prefer to
lose those opportunities than
to risk losing one person, especially
a child,” he added.
Cordice said that, over the
past nine years, since athletes
from St. Vincent and the Grenadines
began competing in the
Penn Relays, “over 200 student
athletes and their handlers
would have tasted the hospitality
of being taken care of and
supported by Vincentians and
other Caribbean persons while
on the quest of using sports as
an academic vehicle.
“We were able to obtain multiple
scholarship to colleges,
universities and high schools
here in the USA and in other
countries,” he said. “Some of
our students have graduated,
and some continue to study
and compete in other institutions.
“Although there are conversations
referencing the age
group that is more susceptible
to the wrath of the coronavirus,
we still need to be
extremely conscious of the falloff
effect, where the virus can
be transported by healthy persons,
then aggressively attacks
more vulnerable persons,” he
added.
Cordice’s announcement
came on the heels of Friday’s
decision by the Queens-based
Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) to
cancel its participation in next
month’s Penn Relays.
TJB – which provides meals
and other accommodations to
Jamaican and Caribbean athletes
competing in the games,
usually held over three days,
including the last weekend in
April – said it based its decision
after Jamaican authorities
announced that local athletes
will not participate this year
because of the coronavirus
pandemic.
No Penn Relays participation
for Vincentian athletes this year
LET US BE YOUR
"DESIGNATED
REPRESENTATIVE "
AND
HAVE THE RESPONSIBLE INSURANCE
COMPANY PAY TO REPAIR YOUR CAR TO
FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS AND 'DELIVER
IT TO YOU WITH THAT NEW CAR
SHOWROOM LOOK WHILE DRIVING AN
IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT CAR RENTAL
A short drive thru the Battery Tunnel from Manhattan