The decision to start this year?s CARIFTA Games on Good Friday has raised eyebrows in the Caribbean.

In fact, one of the largest delegations ? The Bahamas ? have voiced their disapproval to the organising Bermuda Track and Field Association (BTFA) and even gone as far as asking regional athletics officials to look into why competition is being held on one of the religious calendar?s most sacred days.

?We have indicated that we have a problem and that it?s never been done before in the history of CARIFTA.

?We told them that last year The Bahamas Christian Council had taken certain objections to us having just opening ceremonies on Good Friday,? said president of The Bahamas Association of Athletics Associations (BAAA) Desmond Bannister.

?Further, we?ve also indicated our concerns to the regional leaders of our sport ? vice-president of the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) Mr. Amadeo Francis and area representative Mr. Teddy McCook ? with respect to these dates and we?ve asked them to look into it for us.?

Though they have ?just found out this was going on?, Bannister stressed there was no question of The Bahamas missing CARIFTA but rather a matter of reaching common ground with Bermuda.

?There?s a lot of sentiment towards going to Bermuda because we haven?t been there for 20 years but, at the time, when we decided to go there, nobody realised this would happen.

?It?s just recently that we found out that this was going on. So we?re trying now to work with Bermuda in the best way we can, so that the Games can come off and so that everyone can feel comfortable about it.?

Other islands, too, were apparently concerned but, like The Bahamas, they will participate in the Games which are being held here from April 9-11 ? the first time in 20 years that Bermuda will have hosted the junior athletics meet.

President of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association Pat Anderson acknowledged that when he first heard the dates he wondered ?if they were right or if it was a mistake?.

?We were confused . . . (but) we have to live with it,? he said, adding that they would comply with the BTFA?s arrangements.

Members of Barbados? athletics fraternity were also puzzled about the move to have CARIFTA begin on a holiday when countries in the region respectfully shy away from any kind of activity or merriment.

Last April, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) were forced to alter their itinerary which showed the start of the second Test between the West Indies and Australia being Good Friday (April 18). The Board apologised for the error and changed the match?s start to the day after (Saturday, April 19).

Bermuda?s problem, explained BTFA president Judy Simmons, was that unlike Caribbean countries, the Island does not celebrate the Easter Monday holiday and would therefore be unable to host CARIFTA from Saturday to Monday as happens elsewhere.

?As you know, CARIFTA is held on Easter weekend and unfortunately Bermuda does not have an Easter Monday holiday. When we first received the bid we were asked by (former Sports) Minister (Randy) Horton if we would like for him to try and get that Monday as a public holiday.

?That did not happen so we had to go with what we had. We can?t have CARIFTA when everyone is working and children are in school and school will be open on (that) Monday.

?While we recognise it is a religious holiday we are taking steps to ensure that some of that is taken care of in our opening ceremony and on the Friday. We have been to other CARIFTA Games in other countries in the Caribbean where competition has taken place on Good Friday so I don?t know what the concern is,? she contended, adding that The Bahamas was the only territory to have expressed reservations about the date.

Asked if she anticipated any negative feedback from the local community, Simmons said the BTFA had sought the blessing of the Ministerial Alliance in their planning.

?We did speak to Reverend Dr. Leonard Santucci who represents the Ministerial Alliance before we made the announcement (of CARIFTA dates) and asked for their support and we will be going back to them before CARIFTA.?

Asked if the Alliance had no problem with the Games being held on Good Friday, the BTFA chief replied: ?That was what was told to us before we launched our CARIFTA plans in October 2002.?

Bannister noted that unlike the CAC (Central American and Caribbean) structure, which is ruled by a governing body, CARIFTA ?has always been a very loose organisation and it?s been deliberately kept that way so the organising country has a lot of latitude?.

However, given this scenario, he expected the issue to be addressed at congress ?to try to see how best it can be resolved so that in the future it doesn?t happen?.

?At the end of the day, I don?t know if it?s going to be enough to stop anybody from going, but the countries have to raise the concern with the organising country and see how best we can work with them on it, and that?s what we?ve tried to do.?