Keith Joseph (3rd Vice President), Veda Bruno-Victor, Alphonso Bridgewater, Mr. Alain Jean-Pierre and Ms. Nicole Hoevertsz, all executive members of Panam Sports, are at the meeting along with Mr. Michael Fennell, invited by the President.

Treasurer of the organisation, Mr. Richard Peterkin, is unfortunately absent to pressing personal matters.

The first part of the programme featured a presentation of the proposed Panam Sports Strategic Plan, delivered by Mr. Benoit Girardin. Following an extensive discussion on all aspects of the draft plan, the Executive approved the document which will now be presented to the General Assembly at a later stage.

The afternoon session today saw the updated presentation on the status of the preparatory exercise by COPAL, the organizing Committee of the Pan Am Games, Lima2019.

Stoute made good on his commitment in 2014 to step down after two-of his four-year term. He had been president of the organisation since its fledging years as the Caribbean Caucus of National Olympic Committees in 1999 to the official establishment of CANOC in 2003, to the organisation’s Annual General Assembly in Guadeloupe on 23 October 2016.

Lewis will serve as Interim President until the CANOC Extraordinary General Meeting scheduled for Barranquilla, Colombia, in February 2017.

In accepting the leadership position Lewis expressed his sincere gratitude to Steve Stoute for his vision and dedicated leadership of the organisation over his 17-year reign. He reminded the membership of the numerous challenges facing sport at this particular juncture at the global level and of the organisation’s need to play a leading role in the Olympic Movement. He encouraged all to commit to the several important resolutions that emerged from the CANOC Workshop on governance that took place on Saturday 22 October 2016, since these serve as the critical roadmap for the organisation moving forward.

Astra Singh of the Surinam Olympic Committee was elected to serve on the CANOC Executive to fill the vacancy left by Mr Stoute. Ms Singh is the first woman to serve on the CANOC Executive.