President of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Dave Cameron met with officials of the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) and the Ministry of Tourism over the weekend and from all reports he is very pleased with the progress so far, in terms of preparations for the Caribbean Super50 tournament to be staged in T&T in January next year.
WICB director Baldath Mahabir revealed that Cameron had flown into T&T for the weekend talks and is quite pleased: "Cameron came in for talks with the T&T Cricket Board, as well as the Ministry of Tourism and he left pleased with the progress so far."
The WICB is yet to put a committee in place to deal with the Super50 tournament, so the TTCB who initiated talks with the ministry of Tourism is acting as caretakers currently.
The tournament will be played in this country for the next three years as it is being sponsored by the ministry of Tourism in an effort to showcase T&T as a sport tourism destination.
According to Mahabir: "The meeting we had was very successful and everyone left pleased. We intend to meet with our sponsors all the way through to ensure that they get maximum exposure for their investment and this is why the president was here.
"We are hoping to build this tournament as a major sporting attraction in Trinidad and Tobago and the region as a whole and this is why we are keeping it close to Carnival.
"We are hoping to offer fans the double package of cricket and carnival and this is why the ministry's involvement in the planning process is so critical.
"Fans can come in to T&T, look at the cricket and enjoy the carnival season as well. There are many people in the diaspora who miss seeing the cricket and a good lime, so here is a unique opportunity for them to come in and enjoy both.
"Playing the tournament at the end of January will be critical to its successful in terms of attendance and we will be going all out to make it attractive to the fans."