KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) - The ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 announced on Friday that it has received the first five official registrations of national bid committees.
To become a participant in the forthcoming Host Venue selection process, nations are required to register with CWC 2007 in advance of the bid process.
St Kitts/Nevis became the first officially registered bid committee, followed by St Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and the Cayman Islands.
"In order for a country to officially register, they must return the form to headquarters and formally appoint their committee chairperson and two committee members, as well as a signed endorsement from that nation's Cricket association president and a member of the government, authorised for such approval,” remarked Don Lockerbie, venue development manager of the CWC 2007.
“It's exciting to see that the St Vincent & the Grenadines list their Prime Minister, the Hon. Dr Ralph Gonsalves as authorising the registration of their Bid Committee,” he added.
Maurice Edwards of the department of Finance and Planning has been nominated as the chairman of that committee.
For St Kitts & Nevis, Charles Wilkin has been named chairman and is endorsed by Minister of Sports, the Hon. Jacinth Henry-Martin.
Antigua & Barbuda lists their committee chairman as the Hon. Molwyn Joseph, who is Minister of Tourism & Environment.
Roy O'Neale is the chairman for Grenada, and Deborah Ebanks is the chairperson for the Cayman Islands.
The respective cricket association presidents of the five -- Lennox John, Stanley Franks, Enoch Lewis, Walter St John and Courtney Myles, properly endorsed all five nations.
Minister of Youth and Sports Adrian Mitchell also endorsed Grenada’s bid and Minister of Community Services, Youth, Sports and Gender Affairs, Dalton Walter, gave his support to the Cayman Islands’ bid.
"We are very pleased by the promising sign of governments and cricket associations teaming up to form their official bid committee," said Chris Dehring, managing director of the CWC 2007.
“Our success as the West Indies starts with this important partnership between Government and cricket, as countries become focused on preparations to bid for and become host venues for the CWC 2007.”
The CWC 2007 board of directors will announce the final selection of the host venues early next year.