GUYANA’S Bid Book for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 has been completed and will be delivered by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Gail Teixeira in Barbados today.
At 7:30 p.m. in Bridgetown, tonight, each country is required to present responses to the “24 Deliveries” in the 290-page ICC CWC 2007 Bid Book that make up the venue development and event operations blueprint for a successful event in the West Indies in three years time.
Minister Teixeira, shortly before leaving the country yesterday to submit the sealed white box to Cooper’s Price Water House, said that everyone worked really hard on preparing the book.
“We’ve worked very hard over the past few months, but we also had the cooperation of all sectors, support from the private sector and the Indian Government with assurances in writing,” she said.
The Minister disclosed that the Indian Government is giving a US$6 million dollars grant and a US$14 million soft loan towards the construction of the stadium, identified for Providence, East Bank of Demerara area.
Support also came from President Bharrat Jagdeo and the Cabinet, the World Cup Board, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), the PPP and the PNC. Minister Teixeira said that they have finalised the formal work as stipulated by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the West Indies World Cup 2007 committee.
The sport minister noted that the best bids have been put together and submitted for the stadium and all technical requirements, according to ICC regulations, have been met.
“We have done our best to ensure that a solid factual presentation is submitted in accordance with ICC regulations.
This has been a long process and a brand new experience for us and it was really exciting and I know there are doubters out there who are saying that we can’t do it, but I can say if one doesn’t try one doesn’t know.”
Minister Teixeira said that when the book is delivered, the Verification Team would be down here for 24 hours, between May 27 and 28 for clarification and issues relating to the bid book and the construction of the stadium.
She said by May 21 all papers must be formalised as it relates to the tendering of the Indian companies to see who will get the right to build the stadium, following which the government will await a decision on July 6 from the ICC on whether or not Guyana will be allowed to host World Cup matches.
Some 12 countries, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Guyana, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States have all indicated their intention to host matches.
The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), realising the significance of the bidding, has demanded that all Heads of State will have to commit to signing the book so they do not go back on their word.
If the West Indies are to host matches, at least eight Caribbean nations have to come forward to offer venues, failing which the event will go to another nation.
The stadium should hold between 15 000 and 20 000 spectators and have facilities to accommodate, offices, conference halls, restaurants, and cinema facilities among others.
Guyana’s World Cup Committee includes three government ministers in Anthony Xavier, Manzoor Nadir and Navin Chanderpaul; Ronald Austin and Faith Harding of the PNC/Reform and Majeed Hoosein and Harrinarine Tiwari of the PPP/C as well as representatives of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and the Private Sector.
In addition, Phillip Allsopp has been appointed Bid Preparation Officer by the government and will be responsible for submitting the bid through on May 6.
The Bid Office has been set up at the Carifesta Sports Complex, Carifesta Avenue.
The Bid Book contains 690 questions in 23 deliveries which will have to be answered by President Jagdeo based on security measures, policy decisions and where necessary new legislation.
The award of matches by the ICC CWC WI 2007 board of directors requires approval by the ICC and is scheduled to be announced on July 12, 2004, when the world will know which countries are selected to host the 51 matches, including the final and semifinals.