Cabinet Receives Comprehensive CWC Report from LOC

Cabinet yesterday (February 26), received a comprehensive report from Executive Director of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for Cricket World Cup (CWC), Robert Bryan, detailing the country’s state of readiness for the event.
< Minister of Information and Development, Hon. Donald Buchanan, who made the disclosure at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, said that arrangements for the opening ceremony as well as all others in respect to the hosting of the matches, "are as advanced as we would expect them to be at this time". "The venue for the opening ceremony at the Trelawny multi-purpose stadium is ready for that activity. Sabina Park is ready to host the matches to be played there, including the opening match between the West Indies and Pakistan on March 13. With respect to warm-up matches and other such activities, these are at an advanced stage, which will ensure completeness by the commencement of CWC 2007 on March 11," he informed. The Caribbean region will be hosting Cricket World Cup until April 28. Host countries include Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Guyana, Barbados, Grenada, and Trinidad and Tobago. Several warm-up matches, the opening ceremony and a semi-final will be held in Jamaica. It is estimated that more than 20,000 visitors will attend the opening ceremony. Meanwhile, Minister Buchanan pointed out that the National Beautification Programme, which was announced by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller last year, would continue even after the staging of the ICC Cricket World Cup in March. As part of the effort to ensure that the country remains clean and beautiful after the staging of the games, Mr. Buchanan said that laws relating to the observance of a clean environment in Jamaica would be enforced vigorously. "We really want to ensure that as we go forward, the work which is done today to clean up and beautify the country is not undone by those who have scant regard for the beauty and cleanliness of our country," he said. He further added that the Prime Minister has commended and applauded the involvement and contribution of churches to the government's clean-up and beautification programme.