Monday, February 12, 2007

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AFP): World Cup organisers on Saturday shrugged off increasing worries over stadium delays and rocketing hotel prices despite cricket's global showpiece getting underway in four weeks' time.

Trinidad's famous Queens Park Oval is still not finished, practice pitches in Jamaica have yet to be completed, while a hotel in Guyana, which is due to host many VIPs during the March 10-April 28 event, is also still being built.

Officials too have had to counter growing accusations over profiteering by hotels where some prices have been hiked up to twice, sometimes, three times the normal rate.

Of particular concern is the state of the 20,000-capacity Queens Park Oval here on the island home of Windies skipper Brian Lara, which will host Group B matches in the first stage where India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bermuda will play.

International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup venue development director Don Lockerbie said this week work still needed to be done to two stands - the member's pavilion and the Trini Posse stand, famous for its vibrant fans and its ceaseless stream of music during play.

"With about a month to go the Queen's Park Oval has the most work to do of any of the other venues in the region," said Lockerbie.

"We have to run right through to the finish line to get the job done now."

"We wanted to come to the Queen's Park Oval and give the thumbs up and say we're ready to go, but we have got the Trini Posse, arguably the most famous facility of the World Cup...and you tell me," added Lockerbie as he surveyed the shell of the stand.

Lockerbie said it was obvious that the construction time of the venue, which was impeded by labour shortages late last year, "was taking longer than it should."

"My friends in the Caribbean like to tell me that the Caribbean is a place where you always finish in the last minute. Well I'd like to record that we're in the last minute right now."

However, World Cup managing director Chris Dehring and ICC chief executive Malcom Speed said the tournament is on track.

Dehring acknowledged it was a "little disappointing" that there were venues that were still behind schedule.

"There are 30 days to go and we are ready to go," Dehring was quoted as saying in the Trinidad Express.

"We will be ready to go. Mr Lockerbie's statements were a warning to everybody that now is not the time to ease up and that we have to finish strong and right through to the finish line. Having said that, I'm pleased with where we are."

Speed said he was encouraged by the progress being made.

"There is still work to be done and not much time to do it," he said.

"But that is usually the case with big events like this. I'm satisfied that most of those matters under our control have been dealt with and are being dealt with.

"So far as is possible, the matters that arise and that are under our control will be dealt with. But I have also said that don't be surprised if there are issues like any other world event."

Meanwhile, a report in Jamaica's Gleaner newspaper claimed that visitors to the island for the World Cup face having to pay inflated prices for hotel rooms, with many being almost double the standard rate.

A survey by the newspaper revealed variations in price of between 63 percent and 133 percent above the normal rate.

One hotel, it claimed, has rates of 300 dollars a night, compared to the 167 dollars it currently charges.

In Trinidad, some prices are even higher.

An AFP reporter covering matches on the island of St Lucia has been quoted 480 dollars a night at one hotel.

  Most popular articles: viewed, printed and e-mailed

  Printable version