ST.GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC-The Grenada Government says it will make an initial cash payment to Olympic gold medalist Kirani James when he returns to the island for a brief stint early next month.
The payment is part of the local value of bonds promised to the Grenadian athlete following his victory in the 400m at the London Olympics last year.
James became the first athlete from outside the USA to break the 44-second barrier when he clocked 43.94 seconds and also won Grenada’s first ever Olympic medal.
“Prime Minister expressed to him that this government will deliver on the bond agreement that the previous government administration would have made with Kirani except this time this government is going to give him the first installment in cash,” said the Press Secretary to Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell, Kisha Alexander Grant.
“So he will be collecting that upon his next visit to Grenada which is in a few weeks”.
Kirani, who turns 21 on September 1, also known as Kirani day on the local Calendar, is expected home in the first week of September.
Prime Minister Mitchell spoke with James on Wednesday after his disappointing seventh place finish in the Men’s 400m final at the IAAF Championships in Moscow.
The Grenadian leader told James that he continues to be proud of him and understands that, like the best in the game, every athlete will have an off day.