PLANS FOR the ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 are well advanced compared to the 2003 staging of the event in South Africa.
Venue development director and chief operating officer Donald Lockerbie, who has been meeting with the Local Organising Committees (LOCs) and other officials in Saint Lucia and Barbados this week, says the International Cricket Council (ICC) has "repeatedly told us we're ahead of where South Africa was at the same time for the 2003 Cricket World Cup."
PLANNING FROM THE BEGINNING
"One of the main reasons this is so is because the ICC have been part of our planning from the beginning and we have forged a great partnership with them," he noted in the aftermath of last week's Venue Summit in St. Kitts.
He also credited the Cricket World Cup organisation for developing the framework for a comprehensive plan which has been endorsed by tournament owners the ICC and which is now being systematically implemented across the region.
The Cricket World Cup's event director, Nigel Rushman, reiterated Lockerbie's sentiments regarding the rapid progress being made towards the Caribbean hosting the best World Cup ever.
"This is my third Cricket World Cup and we're more advanced in planning than either of the previous two in which I was involved at the same stage," he disclosed.
MOTIVATED TEAM
"This is far more complicated because we're operating across nine countries but nonetheless the progress which stakeholders have made is well advanced in comparison. Enthusiasm is building and the pace of work is accelerating and it's great to be working with a motivated team of professionals and Caribbean nationals."
Rushman said that the Event Management Dsepartment is "approaching the end of (its) planning and assessment and moving into an operational mode, looking at specific Match Day plans".
Last week's Venue Summit, along with the first Cricket Operations Forum, the third gathering of the Security Directorate and several Event Management Integration Meetings, allowed cohesion among various related entities with 160 to 180 participants. Representatives from the ICC, Global Cricket Corporation, Nimbus Sport International (sponsor servicing agency), the Cricket World Cup Headquarters and all nine Local Organising Committees (LOCs) attended.
The seventh Venue Summit is scheduled for October 31 to November 5 in Barbados with at least four more slated for next year.
Lauding the teamwork which has been fostered throughout the multi-faceted Cricket World Cup structure, Lockerbie said "We left St. Kitts with a great deal of confidence which was exactly what we hoped for. From all reports it would have to be the most successful week of meetings to date."
PLANS AND STRATEGIES
All nine LOCs attended the meetings, while the Medical Directorate, the Security Directorate, the Venue Develop-ment Department and Event Management all met with each other for the first time to integrate plans and strategies.
Lockerbie cautioned against any complacency, however, stressing that the West Indies really has eight months and not 18 months to ready itself for the Cricket World Cup.
"India and Zimbabwe will tour the West Indies next year and several trial events for the Cricket World Cup will take place during that home series to test the level of collective preparedness."
AREAS TO BE TESTED
The areas to be tested include security programmes, the elevation of event management to ICC levels established for the Cricket World Cup, the performance level of new pitches and fields, transportation and traffic plans, stadium accreditation and media management plans.
"All stadiums will not be completed at that time but we will have to show our flexibility of putting on the tour without the benefit of all our stadiums.
Lockerbie has followed up the Venue Summit with meetings first in Barbados and then in Saint Lucia this week where he has held discussions with Government ministers, diplomats and members of either Host Venue's LOC
