The sport was chosen to replace lawn bowls, due the lack of facilities at Jamaica. Having this status until the 1994 edition, when it became a mandatory sport. In the first three editions, five events were played (men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles and mixed doubles).
Between 1978 and 1990 a sixth event was in the program (the mixed team competition). Also between 1966 and 1990, one bronze medal was at stake. Between 1994 and 2002, the losers of the two semifinals also won two bronze medals.