Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and International Cricket Council president Eshan Mani hold a plaque at the cornerstone laying ceremony in the building that will serve as headquarters of the ICC CWC2007 Inc., in New Kingston on Sunday. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer KINGSTON, CMC:
PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson said "at long last the West Indies has been afforded the deserved recognition of its distinctive contribution to cricket by its designation as host for the World Cup tournament in 2007."
The Prime Minister's comments were made during his feature address at Sunday evening's cornerstone laying ceremony for the building which his government has contributed to serve as the headquarters for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 Inc. in Kingston.
Prime Minister Patterson declared to ICC President Eshan Mani who was present at the ceremony, that hosting the Cricket World Cup in 2007 "means everything" to the West Indies because "to the people of the Caribbean, cricket is a way of life, it is a potent force for uniting our people and is unquestionably the most visible and successful manifestation of Caribbean integration."
REGION CAPABLE
In his capacity as chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean, Prime Minister Patterson assured that the region is not only capable but also determined to make cricket's premier event a "memorable success" which he envisions will be "the best World Cup to be held anywhere."
The double-level building, located in New Kingston, will be leased for five years, at $1 (US$0.016) per year to the ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 Inc.
In announcing the minimal figure, Prime Minister Patterson said that it is "a contribution to the game of cricket and a sign of what Jamaica is prepared to do to further the process of Caribbean integration."
Chief executive officer of the ICC Malcolm Speed, who also spoke at the event, agreed with the Prime Minister's initial comment, saying that the West Indies "has earned the right" to host the World Cup. "You've earned it by hard work, great performance on the cricket field and proving to the rest of the cricket world that you have the ability as administrators to run one of the world's major sporting events." Speed said in his remarks to the audience packed with West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) directors and executives as they sat in the cordoned-off St. Lucia Avenue outside the building.
KUDOS TO THE GOVERNMENT
In his first public engagement since being elected president of the WICB, Teddy Griffith, during a very short welcome, thanked past-president Pat Rosseau on behalf of the WICB for his role in the campaign to bring the World Cup to the West Indies. Chairman of the Board of ICC World Cup West Indies 2007 Inc, Rawle Brancker, who delivered the opening address at the elaborate and glitzy ceremony, offered thanks and kudos to the government of Jamaica for donating the building, which is being made available through the Development Bank of Jamaica and is expected to be ready for occupancy by the end of this month. All renovations to the building are being funded by the Government of Jamaica, and while giving the vote of thanks, World Cup 2007 managing director Chris Dehring said that though the building is relatively small it will be the most technologically-advanced headquarters World Cup cricket will ever have.
