There is a possibility that some 2,500 cars might be able to park between the Guyana National Stadium and Buddy’s International Hotel at Providence, East Bank Demerara for the ICC Super Eight matches Guyana would be hosting.
The ICC CWC Local Organising Committee Events Manager, Kushiyal Jainarine Singh told the media on Friday at a briefing on preparations for the upcoming ICC CWC matches to be held in Guyana from March 28 to April 9 that the LOC is awaiting approval from the ICC CWC 2007 Security Directorate.
If permission is granted for the parking area identified for spectators, Singh estimates that some 7,000 would be catered for.
The other spectators would be transported via a shuttle from a number of areas proposed including the National Park and the Square of the Revolution.
Singh said approval was needed from the security directorate because of the proximity of the area identified, to the stadium.
No spectators would be allowed to park in the compound of the stadium except for security and emergency and health-related vehicles.
The parking area within the compound has space for some 700 vehicles, but no one would be allowed to park there for security reasons.
The Diamond Com- munity Centre ground would be used as the parking area for operational staff.
Provision is also being made for transportation and parking facilities for the 4,000 teams, officials, media and sponsors (TOMS) expected.
Singh explained that some eight providers of transportation are being contracted to cater for the TOMS since there is no single provider with the means to cater for all the TOMS. The providers would each be making available between eight and nine vehicles.
This is in addition to the 20 BMW luxury vehicles which the government is buying.
Chief Executive Officer of the ICC CWC LOC Karan Singh said accommodation was still an area of concern. He said there were some 1,200 rooms registered in the Bed and Breakfast programme and persons have begun to book these, but there was still need for more rooms. Karan Singh is encouraging Guyanese to open their homes to cricket lovers “even for free” and to follow the pattern of the people of Grenada whose government have asked them to “open their homes” to visitors to the island for cricket to meet accommodation needs. He said a developer constructing a hotel on Croal Street is proposing the setting up of a 300-tent camp to add to accommodation for young people in particular. This is still being worked out.
Karan Singh also noted that the second tour of the ICC CWC Venue Assessment Team is scheduled to arrive in Guyana on February 6 to look at outstanding areas that needed corrective action, the transportation plan, security arrangements and things related to health and emergency facilities.
The team was in Guyana in November last year and had identified four areas that needed upgrading. (Miranda La Rose)
