TT not among early bids for 2007 World Cup

Trinidad and Tobago is not among the five countries who  have officially registered their bid committees for the West Indies World Cup 2007.

The International Cricket Council’s West Indies Cricket World Cup 2007 (WICWC 2007) have  announced that it had received the first five official registrations of national bid committees. To become a participant in the forthcoming host venue selection process, nations are required to register with WICWC 2007, led by managing director Chris Dehring, in advance of the bid process. St Kitts and Nevis became the first officially registered bid committee, followed by St Vincent and The Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and the Cayman Islands. According to Venue Development Director Donald Lockerbie: “In order for a country to officially register, they must return the form to headquarters and formally appoint their committee chairperson and two committee members, as well as a signed endorsement from that nation’s cricket association president and a member of the government authorised for such approval.

“It’s exciting to see that St Vincent and The Grenadines list their prime minister, the Honourable Dr Ralph Gonsalves, as authorising the registration of their bid committee.” Maurice Edwards of the department of finance and planning, was nominated the chairman of that committee. For St Kitts and Nevis, Charles Wilkin was named chairman and was endorsed by Minister of Sports Jacinth Henry-Martin. Antigua and Barbuda listed their committee chairman as Molwyn Joseph, who is also Minister of Tourism and the Environment. F G (Roy) O’Neale is the chairman for Grenada, while Deborah Ebanks is the chairperson for the Cayman Islands. Their respective cricket association presidents —-  Lennox John, Stanley Franks, Enoch Lewis, Walter St John and Courtney Myles —- properly endorsed all five nations. Grenada were also endorsed by Minister of Youth and Sports Adrian Mitchell, and in addition to the president’s support, the Cayman Islands was endorsed by Minister of Community Services, Youth, Sports and Gender Affairs Dalton Errald Walter. “We are very pleased by the promising sign of government and cricket associations teaming up to form their official bid committee,” said Dehring. He was also pleased with “our success as the West Indies start with this important partnership between government and cricket, as countries become focused on preparations to bid for and become host venues for the Cricket World Cup.” The CWC 2007 board of directors will announce the final selection of the host venues by May 2004.