Cricket-News.Org

ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 Inc. plans to move teams and officials via specially chartered airlift during the 2007 sporting spectacle.

Having advertised in 24 regional newspapers across the nine Host Venues and one American daily publication earlier this year, the organisation is now in the process of selecting the successful tender.

Careful consideration was given to all submissions and following interviews with those entities which have been shortlisted for this service, the ICC CWC 2007 Selection Committee will soon make a recommendation to the Board of Directors for approval. Thereafter, contractual and other necessary details will be finalised with the company or consortium chosen ahead of a public announcement.

ICC CWC 2007 Cricket Operations Director Michael Hall explained that the airlift charter provider will not be responsible for transporting the thousands of fans travelling throughout the region for the Event. Neither will the chosen company or consortium be the official air carrier of ICC CWC 2007.

“The purpose of this tender is strictly to secure an airlift provider to meet the demands placed on the movement of Teams and Match Officials dictated by the match schedule.  This facility – of having special aircraft for team movements – will enhance the smoothness of tournament operations with relation to travel, as will CARICOM’s decision that the Host Venues will allow the free movement of persons from country-to-country throughout the Event. That is a very progressive step.

“Given various enquiries, I think it is important to clarify that this is not a tender for the appointment of an ‘official’ carrier. CWC 2007 is not a commercial rights holder for the tournament and therefore cannot seek ‘official’ associations for it,” he said.

He disclosed that the Selection Committee – comprising himself as well as ICC CWC 2007 Managing Director & CEO Chris Dehring and Board members Mr. Allen Chastanet, Dr. Edward Greene, Sir Royston Hopkin and Mr. Alec Sanguinetti – met with representatives of the prospective airlift charter provider in Barbados “two weekends ago and are now deliberating their recommendation”.

“We anticipate that by month-end we should be very close to finalising our selection, if we have not done so by then,” added Hall.

The ICC CWC 2007 Cricket Operations Director acknowledged that there are two Board members with professional links to the airline industry. However, he confirmed that neither was involved in this particular tender from an ICC CWC 2007 perspective or in their capacity as Board members.