Boynes: PM did not lose TT’s wicket

SPORTS MINISTER Roger Boynes yesterday declared that Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s advocation of “a regional approach” to hosting the 2007 World Cricket Cup in the Caribbean augurs well for the tournament’s success, saying Manning was not “bowled for duck.” Speaking on a motion on the adjournment of the House of Representatives, Boynes dismissed Chaguanas MP Manohar Ramsaran’s claims that Manning embarrassed TT by not bidding to stage any matches here.

“It is unfortunate that bid was used. The Caricom region already won the bid over countries such as Australia and India,” Boynes said. He said in that context, there was no need for Caricom nations to be bidding against one another, but simply advancing their respective qualifications to host matches. He said a recent Caricom prime ministers’ sub-committee meeting on cricket agreed with Manning’s view of a regional approach and endorsed security measures for the World Cup.