CWC 2007 is a big responsibility
… says Chris Dehring
Guyana Chronicle
December 3, 2003
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - (CMC) Chris Dehring, managing director of the Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies, has again highlighted the enormous responsibility that has been placed on the shoulders of the Caribbean in hosting the world's third largest sporting event.
Dehring indicated that everyone is excited now and wants to hosts CWC 2007 matches, but wondered how many countries will continue to show that interest when they see the technical specifications and the cost of putting things in place.
"Everyone is talking about the fantastic economic interest in the World Cup, which is great; that's what we have to plan for and actually achieve," Dehring remarked when he delivered the feature address at the annual awards and dinner function of the Queen's Park Cricket Club (QPCC) last Friday.
"South Africa took the World Cup to a different level and it remains one of our biggest challenges to do the same or even better in the region. But the downside, the things we have to mitigate against are also very, very substantially damaging.
LIABILITIES
"Multi-million dollar lawsuits could be the order of the day if some country lets down the rest of the region by having a poor pitch, causing an abandoned match. The current liabilities in contractual breaches at the last World Cup in South Africa are close to US$50 million."
Dehring also noted that staging a Cricket World Cup in the region is quite different from hosting a Test series and called on the Caribbean countries to put their hands together to deliver the event in a most professional manner.
"Let's keep our squabbles internal, but just remember that we are families," he added.
"The international press is waiting to tear apart every service in the Caribbean between now and 2007. The West Indies Cricket Board has a contractual obligation to deliver the CWC 2007 to the International Cricket Council and we must do so without failure."
Dehring revealed that countries wishing to host matches have until May next year to submit bids and, in July 2004, it is expected that after ratification by CARICOM heads, the award of matches to host venues will be announced during a live televised news conference.
He said that a minimum of eight venues will be required to host 51 matches in 2007 and over 5 000 volunteers will be needed to assist in the production of the occurrence.
Talented Trinidad & Tobago and West Indies A opening batsman, Dwayne Bravo, captured the coveted QPCC Sportsman-of-the-Year award for the second consecutive year