POND ISLAND, Sint Maarten – As they prepare to host the Annual Caribbean Motor Sport Festival (COMOSUFE) this year, the Sint Maarten Automotive Federation held a kick off ceremony Saturday night.
The launch ceremony, which took place at the APS Parking Lot on Pond Island, saw in attendance several persons coming from the various motor sports organizations. Those included representatives from the Sint Maarten Bikers Association, the Sint Maarten Drifting Association and the Sint Maarten Drag Racing Association.
Also on hand for the occasion was Alex Deming of Sint Eustatius, a member of the COMOSUFE Alliance. Speaking at the event Saturday night, he told attendees that racing on Statia is rapidly developing. “Right now Statia is on the move to acquiring a plot of land in an effort to construct a race track,” he said.
During the event on Saturday night, President of the Sint Maarten Automotive Federation Charles Benders expressed frustration for the lack of government’s interest in the sport. He remarked: “These organizations were never taken seriously by our own authorities, the government.”
He added: “We are now in the position to look for a solution to promote motor sport on the island.”
According to the President of the Sint Maarten Automotive Federation, the Drag Racing Association and other motor sport organizations has protested and launched several peaceful manifestations to bring the awareness of the sport to Commissioners in the then island territory, and now Ministers.
“He said: “Looking at the French side, the Saint Martin Racing Association has developed a great working relationship with the French government, who works in tandem with them. They can promote international drag racing events on the French side and their training area has been regulated and they are moving forward with motor sport activities,” adding that Statia and Nevis have also succeeded with support from their governments.
“If the other countries are seeing the benefits of the sport, what is wrong with us”? Benders inquired.
The Sint Maarten Drag Racing Association, according to him, has traveled and represented Sint Maarten as ambassadors with a great degree of success.
“Due to the absence of a track on Sint Maarten, the sport cannot be developed to its fullest potential in a safe environment. There is no skills preparation, coaching, evaluation, promotion, organizing and preparing programmes, which will cater to reducing high speed illegal racing on the roads,” Benders told the audience at the kick off ceremony of the 2021 Annual Caribbean Motor Sport Festival (COMOSUFE), which is to be held in July.
The banner under which this event is to take place was also unveiled as well.
At the end of the ceremony, organizers also staged a car drifting demonstration.
The Sint Maarten Automotive Federation has also extended an invitation to the following islands namely, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saint Martin.
