Dr. Douglas firstly affirmed that he did not host any social function in London for the athletes, but explained that the people of St. Kitts and Nevis who are living in the United Kingdom had been so pleased and happy that St. Kitts and Nevis was adequately represented at the Olympics, that for months they had been organizing to come together at the High Commission’s office in London, to have a function to celebrate the athletes.

He said he was invited as well as the management team and officials for the Olympics team.

Douglas explained, “The athletes were invited and the people had cooked up various meals, and had masquerades and all kinds of cultural activities to demonstrate how please they were to have the athletes at the London Olympics”.  

He said he was invited to the  Athletes Village to visit and speak with the team and to give the athletes some motivation and the same time Kenny Anthony Prime Minister of St Lucia was going to visit and they decided to visit around the same period.

Douglas added that as the Chairman of CARICOM, Anthony agreed to speak with both sets of athletes.

Douglas went on to explain that he spoke to the athletes as well, then had lunch with them and had a tour of the entire village.

He said that he realized that Kim Collins was not present and enquired about him and was told he was with his wife. The Prime Minister said that that did not trouble or anger him and was not upset that Kim not there.

Dr. Douglas disclosed that when Kim was withdrawn he was informed of it via email and he contacted Collins by sending him an email and within a matter of minutes he got a reply with Kim confirming that he had been withdrawn.

Douglas added that he tried to resolve the issue but was told by Collins that it was too late.

The Prime Minister added that it was a pity that these situations had not been settled before the games had begun and proclaimed that “At the end of the day we were in the media spotlight but not in the way we wanted to be in the media spotlight.”

The Kittitian leader has also been on record suggesting that there is need for an enhance system of communication between the management of the Olympic Committee, Athletic Association and the athletes themselves, especially if future mishaps are to be avoided, similar to the chaos that played out in London this past summer.

Dr. Douglas firstly affirmed that he did not host any social function in London for the athletes, but explained that the people of St. Kitts and Nevis who are living in the United Kingdom had been so pleased and happy that St. Kitts and Nevis was adequately represented at the Olympics, that for months they had been organizing to come together at the High Commission’s office in London, to have a function to celebrate the athletes.

He said he was invited as well as the management team and officials for the Olympics team.

Douglas explained, “The athletes were invited and the people had cooked up various meals, and had masquerades and all kinds of cultural activities to demonstrate how please they were to have the athletes at the London Olympics”.  

He said he was invited to the  Athletes Village to visit and speak with the team and to give the athletes some motivation and the same time Kenny Anthony Prime Minister of St Lucia was going to visit and they decided to visit around the same period.

Douglas added that as the Chairman of CARICOM, Anthony agreed to speak with both sets of athletes.

Douglas went on to explain that he spoke to the athletes as well, then had lunch with them and had a tour of the entire village.

He said that he realized that Kim Collins was not present and enquired about him and was told he was with his wife. The Prime Minister said that that did not trouble or anger him and was not upset that Kim not there.

Dr. Douglas disclosed that when Kim was withdrawn he was informed of it via email and he contacted Collins by sending him an email and within a matter of minutes he got a reply with Kim confirming that he had been withdrawn.

Douglas added that he tried to resolve the issue but was told by Collins that it was too late.

The Prime Minister added that it was a pity that these situations had not been settled before the games had begun and proclaimed that “At the end of the day we were in the media spotlight but not in the way we wanted to be in the media spotlight.”

The Kittitian leader has also been on record suggesting that there is need for an enhance system of communication between the management of the Olympic Committee, Athletic Association and the athletes themselves, especially if future mishaps are to be avoided, similar to the chaos that played out in London this past summer.