MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony, has expressed satisfaction with the progress of work at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence and the general preparations for hosting CWC 2007 matches in another 43 days.
Yesterday at a press briefing hosted by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) in the conference room at the stadium, Technical Adviser to the Minister of Public Works, Walter Willis, and Operations Manager Clyde Duncan declared their respective works were progressing nicely.
The National Stadium will be hosting six Group C matches of the Super Eight series from March 27 to April 10.
Anthony told Chronicle Sport that the work is moving apace but there are still some areas to be completed and reckoned the deadline will be met for the mega event.
“Since we are approaching the event, preparations have intensified. The bed and breakfast and a steady climbing of some 1 470 rooms have already been met.
The Minister also mentioned that Linden have come into play where some 47 rooms for the bed and breakfast have come on stream.
He further stressed that volunteers have been handing out leaflets and that the exercise was a successful one and more volunteers will have to be identified for the homes and the bread and breakfast.
“One hundred and fifty persons will be working in the stadium and the expectation of their duties is very high because we are very close to the event now and everyone must recognise the diligence, precision and enthusiasm to make the event the best ever,” Minister Anthony said.
All around us, a lot of work is taking place on the venue and related infrastructures and various officials - from those in cricket operations to ticketing to the countless volunteers whom we will rely on heavily - are readying themselves to welcome the world in just over a month, so we cannot afford to be complacent or inattentive to the slightest detail,” Anthony asserted.
The Minister said he was very happy and the LOC including Cricket Operations, Transport and Logistics, Accommodation and Hospitality, Information Technology, Public Relations and Marketing, VIP/Protocol and Finance and Ticketing, promised that the Cricket World Cup will be a catalyst to sell Guyana to the world.
Duncan, an International ICC Umpire, said he was also generally happy and satisfied with the greenery of the outfield and the pitch. He stated that the practice facilities at Everest and Bourda are in good shape.
On January 19, the ICC Venue Assessment Team visited the country for an update and was also happy with the two practice grounds.
Willis, in his brief remarks, expressed similar sentiments with the external work. Willis mentioned that 80 percent of the work on the perimeter of the ground had been completed and by February 15 it will be fully completed.
Following the completion of the briefing, there was an inspection around the ground, including the impressive press box.