Govt back W/Cup cricket effort

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago are in full support of the Local Organising Committee for the 2007 cricket World Cup.

In pursuance of this representatives from the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs will be going to St Lucia to attend a Venue Summit seminar this weekend. President and Chief Executive Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB), Alloy Lequay said yesterday that his meeting with Prime Minister Patrick Manning last week was very fruitful. Lequay said the Government of Trinidad and Tobago is fully supporting the efforts of the local board to host matches. “The government has taken a keen interest in our efforts to host matches and will be sending a delegation together with members of the Local Organising Committee to St Lucia,” he said.

Lequay together with his deputy Ellis Lewis, Willie Rodriguez and Michelle Rahaman of TIDCO will also be making the trip to Castries. “While there they will gave us tips on how to go about bidding for events and will let us know what assurances are needed  from the government in order to get matches. We will need to have proper electricity supply, water supply, transportation as well as proper venues,” said Lequay. “After this weekend’s sessions we will know exactly what is required of the World Cup 2007  hosts and then we will be able to put things in place to host matches,” he said. A source close to the West Indies Board recently revealed to Newsday that the TTCB will be making a bid to host the opening ceremonies at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, the semi-finals at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain and the first match of the series, a day after the opening ceremonies.