Prime Minister Hinds, Ministers visit Providence Stadium
• Impressed with progress to date
Kaieteur News
March 17, 2007
With 11 days to go before the Land of Many Waters host its first match in the Super Eight segment of the ICC CWC West Indies 2007, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and a number of his fellow Cabinet Ministers took time off to visit Guyana 's venue.
The Guyana National Stadium Providence yesterday to have a first hand look at the final stages of preparations.
One could have seen the excitement in the body language of all present as they were taken on a guided tour of the Stadium and facilities including the mound stand by Site Engineer Walter Willis and CEO of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), Karan Singh.
Among the Ministers present were Robeson Benn (Works and Hydraulics), Dr Leslie Ramsammy (Health), and Maniram Prashad (Tourism Industry and Commerce) along with Odinga Lumumba (Presidential Adviser on Empowerment), Indra Chanderpaul (PPPC executive member) and Anthony Xavier Stadium Manager.
Speaking with the media after the tour, PM Hinds said, “I'm quite impressed with what we have done here, there is a bit of refining and cleaning up around and I think that that is well in hand and we will be very well presented by the time Cricket World Cup comes to Guyana .”
Hinds said that he is confident all will be ready a few days before the first game between the first placed team in group 'B' and the runner up of group 'A'.
It is the PM's view that all would be impressed with Guyana and Guyanese and what can be accomplished, noting that there were many doubters along the way, but all can feel very comfortable that persons who visit would be impressed with what they see and find at the Stadium.
TICKETS AVAILABILITY
On this issue, the PM noted that there has been talk in Guyana and overseas that tickets have been sold out or persons were not aware as to the process of obtaining tickets.
Hinds, is assuring that there are tickets available for some of the days while there may be one or two days that have already been sold out.
“Generally there are tickets available, I've understood that some blocks of tickets were provided to various groups involved, the ICC and so on and some of those are coming back into the centre here, so people should keep checking and they may find that they can get tickets for the day that they want.”
CEO of the LOC Karan Singh said persons can check with the local office on Middle Street . The LOC is projecting to open a parameter box office at the entrance of the Stadium at Providence a few days before cricket actually starts and if all goes well they may be able to set up a temporary ticketing office there as well.
“We are encouraging people not to wait for the last because we don't want a build up of crowd and problems at the gate on match days, that's why we are saying, get your tickets before.”
The ticketing office according to Singh is now open six (6) days a week from 08:00 to 16:30 hours.
KEEP SURROUNDINGS CLEAN
PM Hinds is imploring upon every Guyanese the need for them to realize that all are on show during this world spectacle, so they must clean up their surroundings, look good and welcome visitors, treat them well and protect them from crime.
“On the off days between games, various companies are arranging for visitors to tour along the East Coast, Berbice, Essequibo and the Hinterland, so every Guyanese should assume that their area would be on show.”
Minister Prashad also mentioned that the Tourism Ministry has prepared a calendar of events to entertain visitors in the evenings after matches and during the off days. This calendar he said would be circulated to the media very shortly.
“We also plan to host the dignitaries and the media on tours along the Essequibo River , Kaieteur and Lethem among other places of interest.”