History of the ICBG

History of the Games

Roughly every two years, typically during the Easter holidays, CARICOM central bankers have come together for the Intra-Regional Central Bank Games (IRCBG), hosted by participating banks on a rotational basis. The Central Bank of Barbados hosted in 1997 and 2008, and is gearing up to welcome its regional counterparts once again in 2027.

The (IRCBG) were first held in 1987, as a collaborative exercise by governors of regional central banks, to encourage camaraderie among central bankers in an atmosphere of cultural exchange and friendly, spirited competition. The first games were hosted by the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, welcoming the Central Bank of Barbados, Bank of Jamaica and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. The Bahamas, Guyana, Belize and Suriname joined later games. Haiti is expected to make its inaugural appearance in Barbados in 2027, some fifty years since the sporting programme was established.

Giving host banks the privilege of introducing new sports disciplines has enabled the ICBG to maintain an element of freshness over these past five decades, forcing competing squads to embrace new skills and regulations, and to master the equipment associated with each new discipline. The earliest editions of the games featured cricket, table tennis, football and netball, but over time, there have been additional disciplines. In 1999, hosts Jamaica introduced badminton, darts, dominoes and chess, and in 2001, ECCB added volleyball to the sports programme. When the Bahamas began participating in 2003, as hosts they introduced the most new disciplines to the core lineup, adding basketball, softball (baseball), lawn tennis and volleyball along with the mind games of draughts, scrabble and whist. That year, teams competed in thirteen disciplines, but subsequent editions have settled on a lineup of ten. For the 2027 games, the regional planning committee has accepted the recommendation to add Barbados’ indigenous paddle game, road tennis, to the schedule.

Of the twelve IRG editions for which records have been unearthed, Jamaica has hoisted the coveted First Place Overall trophy nine times, and Trinidad three.