Guyana vows to prove critics wrong by AFP

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Event:

ICC World Cup 2006/07

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DateLine: 27th March 2007

 

Guyana will put on a World Cup to remember despite a catalogue of problems with the brand new Providence Stadium here, the local organising committee chief executive Karan Singh said Tuesday.

 

"We will show the negative people that we will have top class cricket here," said Singh on the eve of the first-ever match at the newly built ground between South Africa and Sri Lanka in the Super Eights on Wednesday.

 

Singh refuted suggestions that there will be potential chaos because the stadium was still not ready despite years of planning at the only World Cup ground on the South America mainland.

 

"There is absolutely no truth in those statements. They are destroying the morale of the Guyanese people. Their negative agenda is not consistent with the celebration of cricket in Guyana," Singh told the Guyana Chronicle.

 

"If there was anything wrong, I would be the one they would tell. Everyone involved is preparing for the first ball to be bowled."

 

Monday's heavy rain left the ground soggy but workers were busy trying to get the facilities ready for practice on Tuesday.

 

Last week, the local organising committee and World Cup chiefs were at loggerheads over the 25-million-dollar venue which was built with the Indian government's help.

 

Local organisers were relieved of control of the project, with a British events company taking charge in an effort to get the stadium finished.

 

The Cup organisers said among the myriad of problems at the venue were failures to provide security and crowd control turnstiles, poor accreditation facilities and video boards.

 

However, acting police commissioner Henry Green promised security will be at its best for the teams and officials.

 

"Everything is in line and we will work day and night to ensure maximum security for everyone," Green told reporters.

 

Some locals appear lukewarm towards the tournament with the ground only expected to be full on April 1 when hosts West Indies play Sri Lanka.

 

"We don't need to pay for matches not involving our own team. We will only go the stadium when Brian Lara and our own Ramnaresh Sarwan play here," said Vasbert Collins, a local trader and an avid cricket fan.

 

Organisers are hoping to tempt the public for the other five matches to be played here by offering extra bus services and cheaper food.

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)