With the World Cup set to kick-off, the organisers have expressed concern over the last-minute scramble in getting all the venues in top shape. While the construction inside the stadiums is complete, Don Lockerbie, the venue development director, said the finishing touches in the areas surrounding the venues were still pending completion.
"I think a lot of the venues have waited to the very last [moment] to get some of the final bits of construction in," Lockerbie told AFP, "and, as a perfectionist, I'm a little disappointed that I don't see all the landscaping full out and the roads all paved and things around the stadiums finished."
However, Lockerbie was hopeful the tournament would go on without any glitches, starting with the opening ceremony at the Trelawny Stadium in Jamaica. "Construction is very difficult in this part of the world, but I will say we are ready," he said. "I will say we can put on a fabulous World Cup in these venues and I look for them maybe to mature in the future."
The ceremony, dubbed "West Indian Energy", will be opened by Sir Garry Sobers, the legendary West Indies allrounder. "It's a great honour to declare the Cricket World Cup open," Sobers said. "I'm looking forward to the occasion."
All 16 participating teams will parade the stadium before Brian Lara, the West Indies captain, reads the Cricketers Declaration. The umpire Steve Bucknor will read out the Umpires and Officials Declaration before Sobers declares the tournament open. The ceremony is set to go on for two hours and 45 minutes, featuring reggae singer Jimmy Cliff as well as a cast and crew of around 2,000 singers, dancers and performers.
"It's a nice production," Robert Bryan, head of the Jamaica local organising committee, said. "It should be something that the region will be proud of. For those who see it - the dancing and the colour, for those who will hear the music, it should be an unforgettable experience."