JAMAICA’S Table Tennis President Godfrey Lothian was unanimously elected as a Council Member of the Caribbean Region Table Tennis Federation (CRTTF) at its annual general meeting held in the Dominican Republic last week.

The CRTTF annual general meeting was held during the Caribbean Senior Table Tennis Championships hosted by the Dominican Republic that ended last weekend.

According to Lothian, there were several proposals and issues that were tabled and discussed during the CRTTF annual general meeting which were very critical to the development of the sport in the Caribbean.

He said former president of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Adham Sharara made a commitment to working on a project which will be beneficial to all of the CRTTF affiliate countries.

Lothian also stated that the Pan American President Juan Vila promised more assistance for the CRTTF affiliates. This will not only be in equipment donations, but the facilitation of developmental courses.

Trinidad and Tobago is one of the immediate beneficiaries of an equipment donation by the ITTF.

Meanwhile, the Latin American Development Officer Ramon Ortega Montes outlined a series of Development Courses for next year, and gave a breakdown of the past four years under his tenure.

Lothian said he proposed to the affiliates at the meeting that there should be a strategic plan every four or five years for the Caribbean region, and to set up an office in the country of the current president.

“I said also that the CRTTF should set up a fund to help struggling Caribbean countries to assist them with their development programmes, and also for monetary assistance to participate in organised table tennis championships in the region should they have problems in raising funds,” Lothian said.

He mentioned that there should also be a website facility with Facebook and WhatsApp, so that each affiliate country can get information more quickly from the CRTTF on what is happening.

The Jamaican table tennis president said Jamaica was awarded once again the CRTTF 13 and Under, and 11 and Under Mini/Pre-Cadet Championships to be held next year. Last month the country hosted the same tournament inside the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC). The Dominican Republic will be the reserve host.

Lothian said he will be bidding for Jamaica to be the host of the 2019 CRTTF Senior Caribbean Table Tennis Championships, and the 2020 CRTTF Olympic Qualifying Table Tennis Championships.

Also, he is bidding to host the 2018 Cadet/Junior CRTTF Championships 18 and Under, 15 and Under for boys and girls.

He noted that Guyana was awarded the 2018 Cadet/Junior Table Tennis Championships Under-18 and Under-15 for boys and girls, with Cuba the reserve host.

The Table Tennis Jamaica boss noted that Jamaica was unable to participate in the CRTTF Senior Championships last week as a result of not having enough funds. “We were already hosting the Pre-Cadet CRTTF Championships last month which cost Table Tennis Jamaica a lot of money. We could not cope with both events at the same time, and that’s the reason we did not participate.

“Jamaica, however, will certainly be sending a team to participate in next year’s CRTTF Senior Championships to be held in Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.

In another six weeks he will know which particular area he will be appointed to serve as council member, as there are several committees in the CRTTF.

The other elected members of the executive committee are Teddy Mathews of St Lucia, who was unanimously chosen as president; Jean Michel Talba of Martinique, vice-president; Barboaro Oliva of Cuba, vice-president; Vasdev Bob Roopnarine of Trinidad and Tobago as honorary secretary; Adrian Albert of St Lucia, treasurer.

Other council members elected were John Pilgrim of Barbados, Giovanny Cruceta of the Dominican Republic and Lilden Johnson of Guyana.

The 16 Caribbean countries who are affiliates of the Caribbean Region Table Tennis Federation (CRTTF) are Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Curacao, Barbados, Guyana, French Guiana, Cuba, St Maarten, Haiti, Puerto Rico, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, St Lucia, Martinique and the Dominican Republic.