Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer
Dr. Peter Phillips (left), Minister of National Security, and Col. Faribairn Liverpool, regional coordinator for crime and security, at a meeting of regional security and law enforcement ministers to discuss Cricket World Cup 2007 security issues, among other matters, at the Hilton KIngston Hotel last Thursday. - RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE IMPLEMENTATION of stringent security measures for the 2007 Cricket World Cup topped the agenda on the first of a two-day conference of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Security Ministers held at the Hilton Kingston Hotel last week.
Colonel Faribairn Liverpoole, the CARICOM Secretariat's regional coordinator for crime and security, said with the West Indies hosting cricket's biggest spectacle for the first time, it is important that adequate security be in place for the teams and thousands of visitors expected to attend the tournament.
"The objective is to ensure that cricket's governing body shares with this ministerial group and officials of the World Cup body what they have in mind," said Col. Liverpoole. "We hope at the end of this meeting to have a clear road map as to how our energies and our resources will be organised to ensure the success of these games."
National Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips, who was nominated to chair the conference, agreed. He said the meeting was an extension of a conference hosted by Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Patrick Manning a month ago to address security issues in the Caribbean.
"Ministers expressed the view then that an effort needed to be found to raise the level of awareness among the political directorate regarding the plans that were put in place for Cricket World Cup 2007," Dr. Phillips said.
PLANNING AT THE POLITICAL LEVEL
"While it was agreed that there was no need to interfere with any of the plans that were under way by the organisers, we believe it was worthwhile to convene a meeting which would enable the Ministers of law enforcement in the region to get a fuller grasp of what was under way and put in place anything that needed to be done at the political level."
Eight territories Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and The Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago attended the conference. In addition to members of the CARICOM Secretariat, there was a delegation from the Caribbean Police (CARIPOL) and the Caribbean Task Force on Crime.
Although the West Indies team has won the World Cup twice (in 1975 and 1979) and reached the final again in 1983 (they were beaten by India), it has never hosted the tournament which was last held in South Africa in 2003.
Jamaica is scheduled to host the opening ceremony and several preliminary round matches.
