(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Caribbean countries hosting Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007 are duty bound to ensure that measures are in place to safeguard nationals and visitors alike, hence the enactment of measures that go beyond national concerns.
This was underscored by Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation of Saint Lucia, Senator Allan Chastenet when he addressed European tour operators at a special forum at the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) annual trade show Marketplace in Aruba on Sunday 14 January, 2007.
Senator Chastenet informed that in his capacity as a Minister of Government he had received an intelligence briefing from regional security officials, and, based on the information received, he was satisfied that it was necessary to enact the unprecedented security measures for CWC 2007.
“I am satisfied with the intelligence brief. We are very comfortable. Many of the things that we are doing for this global event will serve us well into the future. For many years we have been talking about Multi-Destination marketing. This is an ideal opportunity for us to make a positive step in that regard,” said Senator Chastenet.
“We are hosting an international event and in this context, we are doing things that we normally would not do because the circumstances demand it,” he added.
Senator Chastenet, along with Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Sub Committee on Security for CWC, and Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Mia Mottley, addressed European tour operators in a special session in Aruba.
The tour operators had expressed concerns about the process for the issuing of the CARICOM Special Visa, a cornerstone of the security measures being put in place for CWC 2007.
