Government spend $90.2m on W/Cup 2007

Sports Minister Roger Boynes made this announcement at yesterday’s launch at which the team (members of the Local Organising Committee) was unveil to the public, two years ahead of World Cup 2007.

Boynes told the gathering however that the legislation is in need of a three-fifths majority in Parliament, but gave the assurance that it should be completed by December this year.

The legislation is expected to protect the regional tournament as well as the players, with ambush marketing in particular.

In addition the Sports Minister also revealed government’s expected output for the tournament which will be $90.2 million.

He said further, they expect a return of approximately $50 million to $70 million, and hinted $33 million will go towards the local cricket board.

Boynes said the amount of returns to the regional cricket boards will be fixed throughout and therefore, further development can and will take place at the end of the tournament.

He said also that government will soon turn the sod for the construction of the contentious spanking new Brian Lara Stadium, which will be used primarily for warm-up matches at the tournament.

Boynes expressed the view that the facility should be completed by April next year, and noted that government insisted the need to have a cricket facility of its own, which he feels will assist the enhancement and development of the sport in Trinidad and Tobago and the region.

He revealed that upgrade work is also being done to the Queen’s Park Oval which will increase its seating capacity for the World Cup.

Trinidad and Tobago will host the Brown Package which will see India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and another qualifying team here for the competition. Chairman of the LOC Ian Welch said since most of the sponsorship of world cricket are done by companies based in India, there is likely to be a huge sponsorship for the tournament here in our twin-island state with India being the seeded team, along with the Sri Lankans and the Bangladeshis.