Basseterre, St. Kitts -- March 20, 2008 -- St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister, Dr. Denzil Douglas said on Wednesday that in recognition of, “the stellar and unprecedented performance by our leading athlete, not only here at home, but on the world stage, Kim Collins,” the Cabinet of the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis on Tuesday, “took the popular decision to name the main pavilion here at this [Silver Jubilee Athletic] stadium, the Kim Collins Pavilion.”

The Kim Collins Pavilion is the first and only pavilion on the grounds of the Silver Jubilee Athletic Stadium. Amongst the hundreds of invited guest and spectators who were seated in the newly named Kim Collins Pavilion who applauded the announcement was Kittitian Olympian Dianne Dunrod.

“I must say that Kim has achieved a whole lot. Starting from 2003 when he captured his first medal to now, when he won the silver medal tying with the English sprinter. And he has done a whole lot for our country. He deserves not only to have his name on the highway, but also the Pavilion. As the Prime Minister said in relation to the naming of the stadium, as we celebrate 25 years of Independence, the naming of the stadium could not have come at a better time,” Dunrod disclosed.

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony involving the Federation’s Governor-General, the President of the Athletic Association, donor country Taiwan’s Ambassador John Liu, Minister of Sport Ricky Skerritt and the nation’s Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas, a select group of local students raced a relay to officiate the first race. At the end of the race, several runners from Tucker Clarke Primary expressed their feelings about the Kim Collins Pavilion.

Press: “How do you feel?” “Good and excited,” Carly Browne; “I like the track, and the naming of the Pavilion after Kim is good,” Curtis Rennix; “It is a good thing because he is an Olympian,” Veangele Williams.

Carifta Games 2008 are scheduled to commence from March 22^nd to 24^th with more than 600 athletes participating from 34 countries, and are expected to lift St. Kitts and Nevis’ international standing and reputation when scores of representatives of the Press converge on the twin-island Federation.