Government has reaffirmed its commitment to hosting of a world-class World Cup 2007.

This promise has come from Prime Minister Owen Arthur following a special meeting of the Inter-Agency Governmental Committee for the Hosting of World Cup 2007, which he chaired on Friday at the Caribbean Development Bank Conference Centre.

This committee is made up primarily of public sector agencies engaged in World Cup activities.

Delivering brief remarks, Arthur said it was an historic meeting, being the first of its nature to be convened and that it possibly heralded a new approach to settling public affairs.

The meeting assembled members of the Cabinet with principals of Government
ministries and agencies relative to World Cup matters, to take "candid stock" of what needed to be done and with what deadlines.

He cautioned that everything of a "fundamental nature" had to be completed by January 2007. To that end, he said, critical paths should be charted, especially where urgent action was required. He asked for "clear focus" and a sifting out of what had to be done from what one merely wished could be done.

Arthur said he was satisfied with the progress of the preparations so far.

He said work at Kensington Oval was no more than about five days behind schedule and that the Kensington Re-development Programme now included areas of the inner City, where residents would benefit from the investment.

He also referred to other vital areas such as tourism and accommodation challenges which he said were resolved during the meeting, as well as issues relating to infrastructure including road and signage works.

The meeting also discussed environmental matters and in this regard, decisions relating to solid waste management and management of the landfill at Mangrove, had to be reviewed, Arthur said.

Security issues were also discussed at the meeting.

"We are at the point of no return and we can be confident Barbados can go forward with all our plans, knowing that the country is ready," he concluded. (PR/RG)