ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, (WICB): The West Indies is on target with its preparations to host the Cricket World Cup 2007.
Chris Dehring, managing director of the CWC 2007, made his comments following the WICB’s presentation of the official report of the delegation from the Caribbean to the CWC 2003 in South Africa and a submission to the CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting last Saturday.
Rev. Wes Hall, president of the West Indies Cricket Board, Roger Brathwaite, chief executive of the WICB, and Don Lockerbie, the new venue development director for CWC 2007, also attended the presentation.
Asked about the readiness of the region to host the event, Dehring said that since preparations began immediately after the bid to host the competition was won five years ago, the West Indies was on course to succesfully host the CWC 2007 in just under four years time.
With respect to the process for the selection of venues, Dehring said that commencing October/November this year, a thorough tender process begins in which each interested territory will bid to be an official CWC 2007 venue.
Noting that the venue is not just the playing field but the whole country including airports, seaports and hotels, Lockerbie said that the tender document will be developed by the CWC 2007 and its Venue Assessment department with the aid of a professional team of regional and international experts referred to as the Venue Assessment Team.
The VAT itself, will be selected via a stringent and transparent process and through a Request For Proposal tender process. A five-person international committee working on behalf of the CWC 2007 will recommend award of the contract to the VAT that will begin work in late August this year.
On the WICB’s presentation to CARICOM heads, Rev. Hall said the Heads gave their full backing for the hosting of the event.
Rev. Hall added that some prime ministers had already committed money and established committees to assist in planning the CWC 2007.
The submission to CARICOM, Rev. Hall said served to update the leaders on the progress of the WICB in its preparations to host the CWC 2007, to outline the important competitive process for the award of matches, and request specific action by CARICOM considered critical to the planning, implementation and execution of the CWC 2007.