While the historic nature of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president Andrew Parsons’ visit is being celebrated, Jamaica Paralympic Association (JPA) president Christopher Samuda says it will be more than a ceremonial affair.

Parson is scheduled to make courtesy call on Opposition leader Mark Golding and Sports Minister Olivia Grange, among others during his February 2-6 stop in the island.

However, Samuda underlined that landmark the visit by the Brazilian is more geared towards shaping the future of para sports in Jamaica and advancing the country’s mission of inclusivity and empowerment for para-athletes.

“The visit, yes, will be historic as it will mark for the first time that a president of the International Paralympic Committee, the global governing body, will be visiting Jamaica. But history apart, the visit will go beyond smiles and handshakes as it will be business,” Samuda declared.

Samuda, who is also the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) boss, explained that the visit represents an opportunity for Jamaica to strengthen its ties with the IPC and leverage global expertise to advance the Paralympic movement locally.

This, he said is aimed at crafting a national policy framework that aligns with the needs of Jamaica’s para-athletes while fostering an inclusive sporting environment.

“Unusual high-level discussions with public, private, and internal stakeholders will take place as the Jamaica Paralympic Association continues on its mission to design and enable national policy in the interest of our para-athletes, whom we serve and to whom we owe our very existence as sport governors,” Samuda told SportsMax.Tv.

“President Parsons, as the chief policy and decision maker of the Paralympic movement, is critical to this process. And the Jamaica Paralympic Association, being a member of the International Paralympic Committee, seizes every opportunity to benefit from the mutual interaction we have with the president and our governing body in the Paralympic movement worldwide,” he noted.

That said, Samuda also pointed to the visit as an opportunity to redefine the JPA’s role in the evolving global sporting landscape as he underscored the organization’s responsibility to create a narrative that upholds the values of empowerment and sporting excellence.

“We speak of vision, we speak of integrity, policy alignment. We speak of collegial engagement and mutuality. We speak of inclusive and participatory governance. We speak of ably going beyond boundaries and being able to make a difference,” he shared.

“President Parsons’ visit provides an opportunity for us in the Jamaica Paralympic Association. It provides an opportunity for us to articulate and continually define that role in an evolving global sporting environment. So we therefore look forward, we really look forward to the visit of our great friend and our president,” Samuda ended.