Earl Moxam, Senior Gleaner Writer
Preparations for staging the ICC Cricket World Cup in the West Indies next year, took an important step forward last week with the inauguration of the International Support and Advisory Group (ISAG) at a meeting in Barbados.
ISAG will review the security arrangements already mapped out by regional governments and recommend changes.
Participating countries include the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, South Africa, India, the United States of America, as well as several international agencies and organisations - Interpol, United Nations, the Pan American Health Organization, the Regional Security System and the CARICOM Secretariat.
The event was staged during the meeting of CARICOM's Subcom-mittee on Resource Mobilisation for Crime and Security and the Government of Barbados, July 26-27.
Coming out of this exercise there will be specific operational support from these foreign governments and agencies, according to Dr. Peter Phillips, Jamaica's National Security Minister who heads the Resource Mobilisation Sub-Committee.
"The persons that we ask assistance from need to be satisfied this support will in fact be able to deliver the level of security that is expected so they are now carefully picking apart our plan, along with our own planners," Phillips explained.
Coordinating centre
A regional planning and coordinating centre will be established in Jamaica, with the support and advice of ISAG. An officer from the Jamaica Defence Force will be seconded to head this centre.
In the communique released by the CARICOM sub-committee, the group asserted that "the reputation and economy of the whole region was linked to the secure hosting of the games, as well as the welfare and safety of citizens and visitors who will patronise the tournament."
ISAG will meet periodically to review the security arrangements leading up to the staging of the event, from the opening ceremony in Trelawny, Jamaica on March 11 to the final match on April 28 in Barbados.
