Caricom heads agree to set up mechanisms for smooth running of ICC Cricket World Cup 2007

CARICOM leaders have taken their support for the ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 a step further by agreeing to set up mechanisms to ensure that preparations for the sporting event run smoothly.

At the Ninth Special Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Castries, St. Lucia last Friday, the leaders received an update on the sporting event from President of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Teddy Griffith; Chairman of the Board of the company set up to run the next Cricket World Cup - ICC CWC WI 2007 Inc. - Rawle Brancker; and Managing Director of that company, Chris Dehring. There, according to the CARICOM Secretariat, the Heads decided to set up a technical working group to help expand the mandate and membership of the Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Cricket.

"The Heads of Government also urged those Member States who wished to be involved in the process to adhere to the various deadlines set for the successful staging of the ICC CWC 2007," a press release from the Secretariat noted.

Dehring, who has met with the Heads on several occasions to discuss the event, said the meeting was especially significant because it was the first with the Heads since the signing of the Host Agreement two weeks ago which formally made the WICB the official hosts of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007. "I am pleased with the outcome of the meeting with the CARICOM Heads of Government particularly the attention and the resolution to ensure that the event is a success from planning to implementation. It was a very keen and thorough discussion," Dehring added.

Among the issues discussed at the meeting, which Dehring said was taken "very seriously", were the need to develop world-class venues, grounds and practice facilities as well as a world class opening ceremony and closing banquet. High quality accommodation for the participating teams; the need for appropriate legislation to protect commercial rights; anti-terrorism planning as well as protection of players and cricketing spectators were also discussed.

With regards to tendering for host venues, the ICC CWC WI 2007 Inc. Managing Director noted that the process was a way "for us to determine the resources that are available from the countries in the region, and create an inventory of assets as well as ideas and creative solutions we can use to stage the event successfully across the region."

P.J. Patterson, Prime Minister of Jamaica and current Chairman of the Conference presided over the meeting which was also attended by Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Lester Bird; Bahamian Prime Minister, Perry Christie; Prime Minister of Belize, Said Musa; President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo; Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Denzil Douglas; Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Dr Kenny Anthony; President of Suriname, Dr Runaaldo Venetiaan; and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Patrick Manning.

Barbados was represented by Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Billie Miller; Dominica by Minister of Foreign Affairs, F.O. Riviere; Grenada by Minister of Labour, Sen. Lawrence Joseph; Haiti by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Phillipe Antonio; Montserrat by Acting Chief Minister, Margaret Dyer-Howe and St Vincent and the Grenadines by Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, Michael Brown.

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