Better World Cup deal could have been negotiated - Lynch
Guyana Chronicle
April 6, 2007
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – A senior Barbados government minister said this week the Caribbean’s Cricket World Cup deal with the International Cricket Council could have been better handled.
“In hindsight, maybe things could have been done differently, but the fact of the matter is that hosting a global competition in nine different sovereign states was always going to be a challenge,” Minister of Tourism, Noel Lynch said.
“Ideally for this event, the best location may have been better in three or four maximum countries for real.
“The event in the way it was structured may not be suited for a tourism region,” adding that the tournament had come at the heart of the winter tourist season.
He said that after the exit of India and Pakistan from the World Cup, Barbados had outlined a new marketing plan to capture a portion of the Irish market.
The form book before the tournament had suggested that India would meet Pakistan at Kensington Oval on April 15 in the Super Eight. Both teams were eliminated in the first round.
“We have a new plan aimed at the Irish market and we will be pushing hard to attract visitors from a new market,” Lynch said
He said while the lack of spectators had caused great concern and tension he believed the region would still reap rich legacy benefits “in the long term”.
Barbados will host World Cup matches for the first time when the Super Eight move here next week.