Tweet
<SPAN class=news_story_title>Cricket World Cup to Boost Caribbean Economies, Antigua PM Says </SPAN>
By Sam Sheringham
Feb. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Caribbean nations will reap lasting economic benefits from staging the Cricket World Cup, according to Winston Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda.
Antigua, a 108-square mile island of 70,000 people, is one of nine Caribbean states hosting the event in March and April. Twelve stadiums have been built or refurbished at a cost of $300 million, while governments have upgraded infrastructure for a tournament that organizers say will attract 100,000 tourists.
``This is a wonderful opportunity for Caribbean countries to prove that smallness in itself should not be a deterrent to doing great things,'' Spencer said in an interview at the opening ceremony of Antigua's new $60 million stadium. ``The Caribbean as a whole is going to benefit immensely.''
The extra tourism may boost a group of nations with 5 million people combined and whose growth will slow to 8.2 percent in 2007 from 12.3 percent last year, according to International Monetary Fund forecasts. Cricket's quadrennial jamboree begins March 13 and will be watched by 2.2 billion television viewers worldwide, organizers said.
The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua was one of three in the region that were funded by the Chinese government in a bid to strengthen ties with the Caribbean. The Antigua & Barbuda government has spent $28 million on security and improving roads, hotels and telecommunications.
``We may not see the immediate returns in six months or a year but in the long term we will benefit from the exposure, the kind of economic activity that was generated,'' Spencer said. ``We'll see continued growth as a result.''
`Repeat Factor'
Viv Richards, a former West Indies captain, said the region's passion for cricket, music and parties would have most visitors wanting to return. Antigua gets more than half of its income from tourism.
``I hope this World Cup will create the repeat factor,'' Richards said in an interview. ``People who come here for the World Cup and enjoy it so much that they come again.''
With a month to go before the opening match in Jamaica, not all preparations are complete.
After last week's final World Cup board meeting, chief organizer Chris Dehring said Jamaica's practise facilities and Guyana's hotels needed improving. Some stadiums, including Trinidad's Queen's Park Oval, are still undergoing building work.
``We are approaching the finish line,'' Dehring said in a press release. ``We need to run through the tape and not ease up.''
To contact the reporter on this story: Sam Sheringham in Antigua on at <SPAN class=httplink>ssheringham@bloomberg.net</SPAN> Last Updated: February 12, 2007 23:14 EST
By Sam Sheringham
Feb. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Caribbean nations will reap lasting economic benefits from staging the Cricket World Cup, according to Winston Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda.
Antigua, a 108-square mile island of 70,000 people, is one of nine Caribbean states hosting the event in March and April. Twelve stadiums have been built or refurbished at a cost of $300 million, while governments have upgraded infrastructure for a tournament that organizers say will attract 100,000 tourists.
``This is a wonderful opportunity for Caribbean countries to prove that smallness in itself should not be a deterrent to doing great things,'' Spencer said in an interview at the opening ceremony of Antigua's new $60 million stadium. ``The Caribbean as a whole is going to benefit immensely.''
The extra tourism may boost a group of nations with 5 million people combined and whose growth will slow to 8.2 percent in 2007 from 12.3 percent last year, according to International Monetary Fund forecasts. Cricket's quadrennial jamboree begins March 13 and will be watched by 2.2 billion television viewers worldwide, organizers said.
The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua was one of three in the region that were funded by the Chinese government in a bid to strengthen ties with the Caribbean. The Antigua & Barbuda government has spent $28 million on security and improving roads, hotels and telecommunications.
``We may not see the immediate returns in six months or a year but in the long term we will benefit from the exposure, the kind of economic activity that was generated,'' Spencer said. ``We'll see continued growth as a result.''
`Repeat Factor'
Viv Richards, a former West Indies captain, said the region's passion for cricket, music and parties would have most visitors wanting to return. Antigua gets more than half of its income from tourism.
``I hope this World Cup will create the repeat factor,'' Richards said in an interview. ``People who come here for the World Cup and enjoy it so much that they come again.''
With a month to go before the opening match in Jamaica, not all preparations are complete.
After last week's final World Cup board meeting, chief organizer Chris Dehring said Jamaica's practise facilities and Guyana's hotels needed improving. Some stadiums, including Trinidad's Queen's Park Oval, are still undergoing building work.
``We are approaching the finish line,'' Dehring said in a press release. ``We need to run through the tape and not ease up.''
To contact the reporter on this story: Sam Sheringham in Antigua on at <SPAN class=httplink>ssheringham@bloomberg.net</SPAN> Last Updated: February 12, 2007 23:14 EST