The UWI Brings the Stories of the Caribbean’s 1966 Commonwealth Games Athletes Back into the Spotlight

The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica, W.I., Wednesday, November 4, 2026— Sixty years after Kingston, Jamaica welcomed the Commonwealth to the Caribbean for the first time, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is bringing the region’s pioneering athletes of the 1966 Commonwealth Games back into public view. Opening on November 9 at the Mona and Cave Hill campus libraries, and later at St. Augustine, a new exhibition by The UWI Faculty of Sport uses photographs, archival records and historical accounts to tell the story of the athletes whose performances helped shape the Caribbean’s sporting legacy.

Developed through a collaboration among The UWI Faculty of Sport, the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC), the Commonwealth Secretariat and library teams across The UWI, the exhibition reflects the University’s commitment to preserving and sharing the stories of Caribbean people whose contributions helped define the region’s history and identity.

The 1966 Games, staged in Kingston, Jamaica, marked a defining moment in Caribbean sport. The exhibition draws on extensive archival research to showcase the achievements of athletes from Barbados, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago who competed at the Games, ensuring that the contributions of these sporting pioneers remain accessible to future generations.

The commemoration will also give the public a rare opportunity to hear directly from those who were there. Online panel discussions are being planned with surviving athletes who took part in the Games, including Jamaicans Lyndie Headley, son of West Indian cricket legend George Headley, Dr Una Morris, Carmen Smith and Vilma Charlton, as well as Trinidad and Tobago gold medallists Wendell Mottley, Edwin Roberts, Dr Lennox Yearwood and Roger Gibbon.

Members of the public are invited to visit the exhibition at the following UWI campus libraries:

The Mona Library, The UWI Mona, Jamaica: November 9 to December 4, 2026

The Sidney Martin Library, The UWI Cave Hill, Barbados: November 9 to November 30, 2026

The Alma Jordan Library, The UWI St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago: November 11, 2026 to January 15, 2027

The initiative was formally unveiled at a virtual launch on Monday, October 26, 2026, which brought together leaders from regional and international sport. Speakers included Dr Donald Rukare, President of Commonwealth Sport; Professor Densil Williams, Principal of The UWI Mona Campus; Dr Michael Fennell, former long-serving President of the Jamaica Olympic Association and of Commonwealth Sport; and Mr Keith Joseph, President of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC). The Commonwealth Secretariat was represented by Dr Lin Sambili, its Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace.

Speakers noted that the initiative is more than a historical tribute. It is a celebration of Caribbean excellence in sport and a reminder of the enduring impact of athletes whose dedication and achievements continue to inspire the region today.

The project is led by Dean of the Faculty of Sport, Roy McCree, and Research Assistant Ms J’Nelle Guy, with critical support from Dr Aldeam Facey, Dr Kevin Grant and Mrs Amanda Reifer, as well as academic, administrative and marketing staff across The University of the West Indies. The Faculty also acknowledges the contributions of library staff Mrs Pauline Nicholas and her team at Cave Hill, Mrs Bernadette Worrell-Johnson and her team at Mona, and Mrs Rebecca Alexander-Holder and her team at St. Augustine.