World Cup tickets still available - LOC Chairman
… another simulation match awaits ICC approval
By Isaiah Chappelle
Guyana Chronicle
March 3, 2007
TICKETS for Cricket World Cup are now available as the Local Organising Committee (LOC) considers staging another simulation match at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence in another two weeks.
This was announced at the LOC’s weekly media briefing, yesterday, at the match venue.
Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony, the LOC chairman, said tickets bought during phases one and two, were now available and could be uplifted from the LOC ticket office in Middle Street, with proper identification, confirmation letter and receipt.
The minister said there were tickets still available for all six days of matches here, in all categories – US$25, US$75, US$90 and US$100, after some were returned by sponsors and others who had them under obligation.
Fans who buy tickets next week will get a 42.5 cm x 27.5 cm poster, sticker or compact disc with the CWC song, according to the LOC boss.
“Stocks are limited and they will be given out on a first-come first-serve basis.”
He said ticket sales were about 65 percent and fans must contact the ticket office directly on telephone number 225-9210 for ticket information.
Minister Anthony appealed to the corporate community to buy tickets for their employees so they could be part of history, along with a similar call for the trade unions and non-governmental organisations.
The LOC boss said the next simulation exercise was subject to approval by the International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup (ICC CWC).
He disclosed that the proposed dates were March 16, a Friday, preferred by the police to have normal working day traffic, and the other date is March 17.
Minister Anthony said the focus would be on traffic and parking, and lanes to be used for CWC. He disclosed that the parking area between the stadium and Buddy’s International Hotel would be finished by then.
He also said there were some areas identified during the first simulation that had to be corrected for the mega event.
In the traffic management plan, the eastern carriage way will be for CWC traffic only, while the western one will accommodate everyday traffic to Timehri and Linden, according to the minister.
“Trucks and dray carts will be not be allowed during certain periods on match days,” disclosed Minister Anthony.
LOC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Karan Singh said the event would again be free, but spectators must have tickets for admission.
Singh said tickets would be distributed at the LOC ticket office in Middle Street, Georgetown, and some would be sent to Essequibo and Berbice to prevent the event being a “Georgetown thing”.
The LOC stressed that admission would be strictly by ticket or invitations for VIP, disclosing that during the first simulation, some high-ranking government officials turned up without invitations and tickets, with large entourage and had to be turned away.
Singh pointed out that the CWC was an ICC event and neither the minister nor any LOC member had any complimentaries to give out.
Asked about spectators retrieving items confiscated at entrance to ticket booths at the stadium, Singh said there would be no system for that because persons must not turn up with items not allowed in the stadium.
He disclosed that everything about items not allowed were in the new telephone directory, while the LOC would be publicising them on television, and urged the media to help.