President Irfaan Ali has defended the government’s support to the recently held Global Super League T20 tournament and justified it in the context of the drive for more tourists to the country.
Questions have been raised about the financing of the league which had been hinted at earlier this year by Ali and formally announced at the finals of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) tournament here.
During his `In The Seat’ interview programme on December 20, Ali was asked by Stabroek News whether cash or other support was provided to the tournament and whether it was being run by a company and who the principals were.
The President said: “I made it very clear that sports must be an important plan of our tourism product. It must be an important plan of our diversification plan, sports all over the world. If you look at what is happening in Saudi Arabia, if you look at what is happening in UAE, in Qatar, in in India, sports is an important part of the whole industry itself. When you look at the wealth the CPL has been able to create, it became important for us to build an international event that will fill the hotel rooms.
“We’re building all of these hotels. Who’s going to full it? What is going to fill it? If we don’t build these events and build these important international standard events, then how are we going to support these industries? So the government must create an enabling environment. The government must support an enabling environment. The government must pursue policies that stimulate investment in these types of events. And that is what we did. We created an ecosystem.
“We’re stimulating, encouraging investments. We support, of course, the government must, must support, not we haven’t put any cash into it, but in-kind support. We have to have a stadium. We have to have facility. You have to have security, you have to have roadways… We have to have these things to support a major event like that, any international event, any government, must have these facilities, must invest in these facilities.
“If we are going to build something, we have to build something we are proud of. We have to build something that is of international standard. And I’m hoping that the investment can go further. Could build out a sports infrastructure with new stadiums, world class facility that will bring more events to Guyana. That is my aim. I want to see the Guyana Motor Racing (and Sports Club), and I told them, come up with a plan as to how we can bring international racing here, because it brings traffic into the country. My concern is, how do we invest in opportunity? How do we bring traffic into the country?”
Making a virtual presentation on April 25th this year at a CARICOM meeting in Trinidad on cricket, Ali said “I believe that we need to examine whether we need to move West Indies cricket from the West Indies Cricket Board to the American Cricket Board. Because we have to work towards owning cricket in the Americas. So how do we develop a strategy where West Indies Cricket becomes the owner of cricket within the Americas? These are things we have to address.”
Taking note of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as an opportunity for the region to advance its cricketing structure, Ali said “we have to work and see how we can expand and build on this opportunity to lead us into the best form of franchise cricket. In Guyana we are working with CWI (Cricket West indies), CPL and ICC (International Cricket Council) to launch a new product for the region that will position the region in the global market and that is the World Premier League”.
“The World Premier League we’re hoping can replace what used to be the Champions League. That league would have had the best sides coming together to play to recognize the best franchise team”, he had said.
On October 6th this year, as the curtains came down on the 2024 season of the Republic Bank-sponsored Caribbean Premier League, legendary Guyanese and West Indies cricketer Sir Clive Lloyd announced the launch of the Global Super League with a prize fund of US$1 million. Sir Clive went on to thank Ali “for his vision of a new cricket event for Guyana, one that will captivate the world.”
Questions were immediately asked as to who was funding the prize money as there were suggestions that it might be Guyana but no answer was provided.
Later in October, it was announced that ExxonMobil Guyana would serve as the title sponsor for the inaugural Global Super League. Chairman of the GSL Sir Clive said, “ExxonMobil Guyana has a long history of supporting cricket in Guyana. They are an ideal title sponsor – we appreciate their continued investment in Guyana.”
ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge said, “We are thrilled to deepen our commitment to cricket and the community in Guyana through our partnership with the Global Super League. We look forward to an electrifying series of matches and celebrating the spirit of cricket with fans around the world.”
The first instalment of the league from November 26th-December 7th has had mixed reviews and crowd attendance on some days was sparse. No information is available on the company running it and whether financials will be provided to the public show the various inputs by Guyana and others, payment to employees of the company and a profit and loss statement.