Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Big Team: L-R: Project Manager, Mike McNally, Bid Director, Derek Casey; Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland Chairman Louise Martin, Scottish Hammer Throw record holder, Shirley Webb and Caribbean correspondent, Narda Williams

TORTOLA—Five officials from Glasgow, the bid city candidate for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland, made its pitch for support, during a presentation to the BVI Olympic Committee and six federations Saturday, at Maria’s Hotel on Tortola.

Glasgow, Halifax, Canada and Abuja, Nigeria, are the three cities bidding for the games. Their respective bid books are due to the Commonwealth Games Federation by May 9. The successful candidate will be selected on Nov 9 in Sri Lanka.

“I know that it’s actually better for people to hear and see what we have to offer. It’s all very well to send a massive document of 250 pages, but people don’t read it and they don’t get a full feel of it,” Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland Chairman Louise Martin said. “I think it’s better that you actually see us and you can trust us to deliver what we say we are going to deliver, rather than just reading it. I want to actually meet people and listen to what they want so that we can put those ideas into the bid as well.”

Martin was joined by Bid Director, Derek Casey; Project Manager, Mike McNally, Scottish Hammer Thrower, Shirley Webb and Caribbean correspondent, Narda Williams.

Martin said she thought the presentation went very well. “I believe in it so passionately and once we can get that over and people can actually trust us, I cannot afford to leave anything to chance,” she said. “I need every single vote count, no matter how small or big the country is. And to do that, I’ve got to be there to actually see it, and that is what I’ll do. I’ll be on the phone to follow up with the BVI Olympic Committee and the other committees, to make sure we are doing the right things, we have covered everything to make the countries want to bring their athletes to us.”

Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland Chairman Louise Martin, presents BVI Olympic Committe President Rey O'Neal, with the Scottish Quaich, a traditional friendship symbol

Glasgow has added several features to their plans for hosting the games. Martin said the most important thing is working with the athletes and listening to them. She said the opening ceremonies will be held in the 60,000 seat Celtic Stadium, allowing athletes to walk to the opening ceremonies from their village and they will be able to walk past the Queen, sit and see the whole performance. “They never get to see the performance,” she noted. “They either come into towards the end or they don’t get to got to it. We have some innovative things we are going to do.”

When asked what it will mean for Glasgow to host the games, Martin said it would be a dream coming through for their athletes and everyone in Scotland. “This is the only multi sport event we are able to host,” she noted. “We are not big enough to do the Olympic Games, so the Commonwealth Games is the thing for us. I know we can deliver a fantastic games and, we are doing everything we can to secure that vote.”

The 2010 games will be held in New Delhi, India.