by PHILIP SPOONER

ALL ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN there is a buzz as anticipation grows surrounding the region hosting the 2007 International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup (CWC).

The project, which started back in 1998 when the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) presented a winning bid to the ICC, is now in the closing stages and the finishing touches are being put on the 12 arenas where the matches will be played from March 5 to April 28.

Ken Gordon, the Trinidadian businessman and former government minister, joined the team as chairman of the board 18 months ago and since then has been travelling the globe ensuring that the world knows where the West Indies are coming from.

It's now three months to go before the first ball is bowled in the pre-tournament matches on March 5. There are many areas to be worked on, but Gordon – who is also president of the WICB – said his team is competent and confident of delivering "the best World Cup ever".

MIDWEEKSPORT caught up with the chairman at the posh Four Seasons Hotel on the island of Nevis, to get an update on the progress.

Gordon expressed disappointment that West Indian fans were, in his opinion, not coming forward to snap up tickets for the tournament, and he urged them not to further delay.

"The weakness in the structure where the ticket sales are concerned is really coming out of the West Indian sales. We are very confident, however, that we will end within striking distance of the target we set," he said.

"Certainly, if all goes as plan, the nine local organising committees (LOCs) should all be strong beneficiaries from the sale of the tickets.

"We want to urge and really urge the people of the Caribbean to get out there and get involved. It would be a great tragedy if we did not take up the seats we deserve.We run the real risk of letting down the team when it matters most, because other people are buying up the tickets," he said.

Gordon added that a successful Cricket World Cup would be the correct tonic to put the WICB on the right footing.

"A lot depends on how successful we are. If we are very successful and we achieve our goals and then problems come up we would then be able to deal with them quite easily. It would mean we would have the wherewithal to do it and the added finances would always help," he said. "If we are not successful, then the size of our problem differs.

"We are all very confident that we will be successful, as we see this as West Indian cricket having the opportunity to structure itself in a far more enlightened way in the future. At the start there will be a significant contribution to reducing the deficit which West Indian cricket has to labour under now.

"The tournament would put us on a far healthier footing and we see ourselves getting into more development and getting a framework to produce better cricketers for the upcoming generations."

Gordon said the preparations for the next three months would focus on the nine LOCs being ready for the challenge.

"We must sharpen our focus as we get ready for such a major event, where we have invested so much. We are working with the various (LOCs) to look at the promotional aspects of the tournament," he said. "There will be wider consultation with the LOCs and all persons with ideas will be encouraged to play a major role in getting the show on the road."