‘Fantastic opportunity for Guyana’ as ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies Bill gets unanimous support

The ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies Bill 2024 was passed unanimously without amendment in the National Assembly on Friday evening, paving the way for critical legislation to be enacted to efficiently and effectively host the global event from June 1-29.

West Indies co-hosts the event with the United States of America.

The Sunset Legislation will cease on June 30.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr. hailed the mega event and passage of the Bill as a “fantastic opportunity for the country,” noting that the “commercial elements of the game are evolving, and it means we also have to see the challenges as opportunities.”

This is the biggest T20 World Cup in the sport’s history, as twenty teams will contest matches hosted in Antigua, Barbados, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago along with Grand Prairie (in Texas), Broward County (Lauderhill, Florida) and Nassau County (in New York).

West Indies, Papua New Guinea, Afghanistan, Uganda and New Zealand will have group matches in Guyana from June 2-8, while semi-final two is scheduled for June 27 at the National Stadium, Providence,

The Minister informed that there was no undue delay in preparation as the Local Organising Committee was initiated in December.

The Guyana Police Force will soon publish traffic procedures, and the Guyana Tourism Authority will heighten its promotion efforts.

Opposition Members Khemraj Ramjattan and Jermaine Figueira indicated they would give unwavering support for the Bill.

“Sport industry serves a powerful vehicle for promoting tourism…we believe it is time the world recognizes what this beautiful country has to offer”, Figueira noted.

Figueira called for more public awareness of the Bill so Guyanese can appreciate their responsibilities in ensuring the matches are hosted with “par excellence” and urged for cultural events alongside the matches to allow visitors to experience Guyana beyond the National Stadium.

Ramjattan reminded the house the T20 World Cup is poised to inject over US$300 million into the economies of the Caribbean nations and hopes exceptional hospitality is meted out to visitors as he views cricket as the greatest unifying force in the West Indies, “it is like the force of gravity”, the former Minister expressed.

Additionally, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC, expressed that “cricket is our national sport, the Caribbean’s number one sporting activity, and cricket is a multi-billion dollar industry.”

Nandlall viewed the T20 format as the most popular, and given its current pinnacle of popularity, Guyana should be proud to host such a mega event.

The Attorney General outlined the Bill, which sets the legislative framework under which teams will operate and govern the venues in host nations. This Bill is identical to what has been passed in other host nations in the Caribbean.

“It is important that we publicize the clauses of this Bill so that our population understands what their legal obligations are for this period to ensure persons do not breach the legislation,” the Attorney General stated.

Nandlall highlighted that some prohibited items include coolers larger than 30x30cm, specific flag sizes, glass bottles, and metal cans.

More so, the Bill  includes hefty fines for persons guilty of the unauthorised sale of tickets, commonly called ‘black market tickets.’

The Bill states that “no person shall, without the written authorization of CWI, sell any Cricket World Cup 2024 ticket or any article that is represented to be such a ticket for admission to a CWC activity.”

According to the Bill, any person who contravenes the aforementioned is liable on a summary conviction to a five-million-dollar fine.

ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies Bill 2024:23973-bill_no._4_of_2024