Four Caribbean nations ? including athletic powerhouse Jamaica ? are scrambling to make alternative travel plans for the Carifta Games since previous arrangements for a charter flight from The Bahamas have been cancelled.

In fact, so dire is the plight of these countries that one of them ? the Turks & Caicos Islands ? has indicated they may have to withdraw from the annual junior track and field meet.

The crisis in which these Carifta members (Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos and Haiti) find themselves is the result of a decision by Bahamian Sports Minister Neville Wisdom to bypass giving the Bahamas Association of Athletics Associations (BAAA) their annual $40,000 Games grant and instead charter a Bahamasair jet for that island?s contingent alone.

Prior to this development last week, the BAAA had agreed to a joint travel venture with its Caribbean counterparts to reduce the high cost of transporting athletes to Bermuda for the 33rd edition of the regional championships. Given Wisdom?s announcement that his ministry would absorb the Bahamians? Carifta expenses ? and that he only cared about getting the Bahamians to Bermuda ? the BAAA had to inform their neighbours that the joint charter was off.

This news unleashed a torrent of criticism and outcry, particularly from Jamaica and Turks & Caicos Islands. It also left the question of support for the Bahamians? bid to host the 2006 Games up in the air.

?We are indeed disappointed at the news that your association is no longer in charge of the charter to Bermuda. As you are aware, a team-up with you was our only chance to get a team to the Carifta Games.

?If we do not make it to Bermuda we would be unable to vote for your bid to host the Games in 2006, and we would very much like to have the Games next to us. Please continue in your efforts to assist us in whichever way you can. We look forward to more positive news in your next letter,? read a letter to the BAAA from the Turks & Caicos Amateur Athletic Association.

President of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) Patrick Anderson launched a blistering attack on The Bahamas? about-turn, citing ?uncaring behaviour by the Bahamian minister of sports?.

He disclosed the JAAA was approached in January with a beneficial agreement to use a jointly-chartered aircraft from The Bahamas to Bermuda.

?The honourable minister has now seen fit to cancel this arrangement after plans have already been put in place. We had committed to this based on our high regard for the BAAA and the people of The Bahamas. It would also have been the most affordable method to transport our team to these Games,? noted Anderson in correspondence to the BAAA.

?We are thus appalled that the (Bahamian) minister of sport would seek to embarrass the BAAA and place them in disrepute in the international athletic arena by the late cancellation of our arrangements.?

Anderson declared Jamaica was ?not accustomed to (being) treated in this manner? and called for a resolution to the issue.

?It is our hope that the honour of such a high office as that of the minister of sport will be once again fulfilled by the reconsideration of all the details and implications of this arrangement.?

Despite the predicament, the JAAA chief assured that the titans of Carifta would be here for the Easter weekend meet. Other sources have hinted that Barbados, who are organising their own charter with other islands, may assist their Jamaican colleagues.

?We will have to make some arrangements. It will cost us more but we have to come to Carifta. We?re coming,? said Anderson, indicating their delegation would still number about 50 athletes.

His letter was copied to numerous officials including president of the North American, Central American and Caribbean region, Dr Amadeo Francis, president of the Central American and Caribbean region Victor Lopez and Jamaica?s Sports and Foreign Affairs ministers, Portia Simpson-Miller and Delano Franklin, respectively.