Minister of Sports Charles Griffith has called on Barbadians to come out in their numbers and help with the hosting of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup that begins on June 4.
Griffith was speaking during a media launch held at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment headquarters in Haggatt Hall, St Michael.
“I’m asking all Barbadians to be involved in the process (of hosting the competition),” Griffith began. “Whatever you think is necessary to chip in to help make this a success then the Government is asking you to do such. We are looking to have a major volunteer push in relation to this particular event as the status of it alone would require us to have hundreds if not thousands of volunteers on island coming out to support the Government.”
The Minister continued “At the Ministry we have started looking at the process of putting a volunteer programme in place not only for the World Cup but for subsequent events that are happening. We are putting not only the island on show but the entire region and I believe that if all of us come together to make this a reality, then the success would be the same if not greater than in 2007 and 2010. ”
Griffith insisted that Barbados is ready for the competition to get underway, despite the fact that the time for host territories to prepare is shorter than previous tournaments. The Minister also sought to clarify what the BDS $50 million, that the Government of Barbados loaned from the African Import and Export Bank, was being spent on.
“The BDS 50 million that people have referenced in terms of the spend is not only fifty million dollars being allocated towards upgrading Kensington Oval,” he explained. “Those of you who have passed the locations that are to be used for the practice matches would see that infrastructure work is being done at those particular locations to ready them for the teams that are coming to practise as well.”
This move to refurbish Kensington Oval will be the second time the 28 000-seater venue was modernised. In 2005, the Barbados Labour Party which was then led by the late Owen Arthur, borrowed BDS $200 million for the demolition of the old stands and redevelopment of the stadium ahead of the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
Next year’s T20 World Cup final will be the second time that the Kensington Oval has hosted the final of that competition, with England running out victorious against Australia by seven wickets. The iconic ground also hosted the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final in 2007, which Australia won by 57 runs by the then Duckworth Lewis method against Sri Lanka. (JC)
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