| |
Contact:
Julita Peter
 |
|
Prime Minister, Dr. Kenny D. Anthony (right) welcomes
Mr. Chris Dehring, CEO of the Cricket Bid Committee for World Cup 2007.
Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, Hon. Mario Michel is in the
background (centre) and at left, Dr. James Fletcher, Cabinet Secretary and
Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee for World Cup 2007, at
Hewanorra International Airport |
Monday, May 24, 2004 - The ICC-World Cup 2007 Venue Assessment Team
(VAT) has begun its verification tour to bid countries. The tour will provide
the team of world games experts the opportunity to assess and verify the
proposals contained in their World Cup 2007 Bid Book. Although St. Lucia and
Barbados have submitted joint bids, the two countries will be assessed
individually.
The 11-member team, led by Cricket World Cup 2007 Chief Executive Officer, Chris
Dehring made its first stop in St. Lucia on May 23, at Hewanorra International
Airport in Vieux Fort. They were met by Prime Minister, Honourable Dr. Kenny D.
Anthony and key persons, including Youth and Sports Minister, Honourable Mario
Michel; and the Local Organizing Committee for World Cup 2007 chaired by Cabinet
Secretary, Dr. James Fletcher.
The packed agenda for the 1-day working schedule for the team included a
detailed tour of the relatively new Beausejour Cricket Ground, which has already
received regional and international acclaim as one of the best cricket facility
in the region. The group sessions there looked at media facilities, ambush
marketing, security, cricket grounds, disaster management, marketing support,
accommodation, transport, immigration and customs, medical services, WICB
rights/sponsor obligations, generic event functions, and match-day operations.
There were also field visits to the National Stadium, Rodney Bay Marina, Pigeon
Island, road networks, and generic events sites.
The local media was apprised of the rudiments of the World Cup 2007 bidding
process and had their concerns addressed during a press conference led by Mr.
Dehring and ICC- Venue Development Specialist, Donald Lockerbie. Mr. Dehring
assured that the team was embarking on the most professional and scientific
approach to managing, hosting and eventually selecting the host venues for 2007.
“We are looking at the best resources that each country can offer, all the
assets, all the inventory, to put together a collaborative effort, which will
ultimately be in 2007”, he told the media, informing that the team had very
positive discussions in St. Lucia. “The entire atmosphere, the entire spirit of
the discussions was exactly what I expected it to be,” Mr. Dehring said.
The St. Lucia visit is expected to provide the impetus for the continuation of
the verification tour. Mr. Lockerbie said, “The fact of the matter is that St.
Lucia has already impressed us; we’ve had a history of it recently; we had our
venue summit here last September; we’ve had several board meetings here for
Cricket world Cup; and now we have the Verification Team”.
The Venue Assessment Team will end its Verification tour on June 12, 2004, in
Bermuda. Out of 11 bidding countries, the eight host venue finalists will be
announced on July 4, and the announcements for the actual matches that will be
awarded will be made on July 13, 2004.
|
