MINISTER OF STATE in the Prime Minister's Office Reverend Joseph Atherley has backed Government's decision to spend millions on hosting Cricket World Cup (CWC).

Speaking at the end of a Press conference to announce Government's plans to illuminate the island's Government and private sector buildings, as well as 15 roundabouts, he said the region had every right to host the cricket tournament because of the rich legacy of the West Indies cricket team as the dominant force in cricket.

"The CWC is a tremendously important event and I have said on the floor of Parliament that West Indies is not only privileged to be able to host this event, but the West Indies has a right and a duty to host this event.

"What we have given to international cricket and the legacy left behind by those who represent us, in my view, we have
a mandate to host the World Cup and I don't think that anybody should be apologetic about it," he said in Parliament
yard yesterday.

Regarding reports of poor spectator turnout at matches, he said this could be due to several reasons.

If the reports are true, Atherley said, as West Indians we ought to be concerned.

However, he cautioned that the situation must not be judged in terms of spectator turn out, but must be taken within a wider context.

Atherley said the Barbados leg of the tournament would start in a matter of days, and the Ministry of Tourism and the
Local Organising Committee (LOC) were working assiduously to ensure that Barbados had the best possible outcome.

Going for best

"Although we may have some of the same issues being raised here as have been raised by others across the Caribbean,
I think that there are things that are being done by LOC and Barbados Government through the Ministry of Tourism to ensure that we have the best possible outcome."

The Minister of State said if the tournament was hosted successfully without tarnishing the reputation of the Caribbean, then the spin offs from the cricket legacy would benefit future generations to come. (JW)