WORLD CUP, RECOVERY KEY

The holding of the ICC World Cup 2007 in the Caribbean should be employed as the key to the economic recovery of several countries in the region which have been hard hit by Hurricane Ivan and are being affected almost as cruelly by globalisation, including the WTO-instigated end to the preferential entry status of their sugar and bananas to the European Union. The World Cup cricket series which is expected to attract 1.75 billion viewers can be made to act as a spur to increased tourism flows as well as regional and international interest in hotel and industrial development. In turn, the possibilities for agriculture and agricultural products, for example specialty rum, sugar and jam, can be realised through visitor consumption and, capitalising on this interest, to export markets as well.

However, to effect this, Government tourism and industrial agencies in the individual countries will have to draw up plans for the aggressive marketing of their industrial and agricultural products, small manufactures and tourist attractions in the run-up to and during World Cup 2007. And even immediately beyond the World Cup. Already, it has been estimated that the bringing of hurricane damaged World Cup venues up to required standards will be approximately US$150 million. Regional Governments must have a long-term view of the benefits they should be seeking to derive from such relatively massive expenditure, rather than the short term and wholly unrealistic approach of being able to provide comfortable and attractive stadium facilities. The region must seek to make Hurricane Ivan’s negative impact on tourism, agriculture and industrial development short-term, and instead make the recovery opportunities offered by World Cup 2007, long-term.

Nationals must set out to be visitor friendly and helpful, and as pointed out earlier Governments must have in place plans for the marketing of their countries’ tourism, industrial and general investment potential. The various Ministries of Trade should use the opportunity provided by the heightened international interest in the Caribbean to invite investors and potential investors in the United Kingdom, United States and Canada and the region to visit as the guests of their countries during World Cup 2007. In order to optimise returns, however, Caribbean Governments should begin early to draw up plans and programmes designed by the best minds in the region. The eyes of the world will be on the Caribbean Community of Nations, both literally and figuratively in 2007. We must be able to translate that into increased interest by the international investor community, shipping lines, cruise ship directors, persons interested in eco tourism or who will see the Caribbean as a place to visit on cruise liners, or simply foreigners sold on the region’s exotic lore.

Public Relations programmes should be instituted aimed at educating the general public in each country of the need to be tourism oriented, helpful and courteous to visitors, and to be more aware of the several tourism pluses in their individual islands. We must march to the beat of the drummer of Caribbean reconstruction and preferably with a unified approach, avoiding needless and wasteful competition with each other, particularly where this can be avoided. Editor’s Note:  There was an error in yesterday’s editorial, in which it was stated that a TT diplomatic bag was missing in what was described as a breach of security. The report stated that the bag was found on the tarmac at Miami Airport. This was incorrect. The bag was late in arriving at the TT Consulate General in Miami and was located at the United States Postal Office at the Miami International Airport. The error is regretted.