Cabinet considers funding two major events this year

Antigua and Barbuda is gearing up for a series of exciting international events that are set to take place this year, including the ICC Cricket T20 World Cup.

However, significant funds are required to upgrade the facilities and infrastructure ahead of these events, particularly for the T20 World Cup, which needs extensive upgrades to the venues and practice facilities.

The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is undergoing significant upgrades, but more resources are needed to get the Antigua Recreation Grounds (ARG) ready as a practice venue for the teams.

To address this, the Cabinet has pledged to secure the necessary resources to ensure the success of the T20 World Cup Cricket.

In addition to the T20 World Cup, there are several other major events on the calendar for 2024, including Carnival 2024, which is set to be fully funded to meet the new standard that has been established for prize monies distribution following the events.

The Ministry of Education, Sports and the Creative Industries will present the overall plans for Carnival 2024 to the Cabinet in two weeks for funding approval.

Meanwhile, a media launch and sponsorship cocktail will take place on April 25th at the Hodges Bay Club.

In a positive development, the Ministry of Sports has arranged full scholarships for two talented and intellectually gifted male students to be trained at the prestigious Harrow School in the United Kingdom, which specializes in training future professional cricketers.

The two students, Matthew Miller of the Antigua Grammar School and Tanez Francis of the Jennings Secondary School, will leave at separate times and be fully supervised by the schools during their time there.

Finally, Antigua and Barbuda is set to host a series of exciting events throughout the year, including SIDS4 in May, the ICC T20 World Cup Cricket in June, a women’s cricket tournament in July, followed by the annual Carnival celebrations, CPL Cricket from August to September, and a tour by the England Cricket team in November.

All of these events require significant planning, execution, and funding to ensure their success, and the Cabinet is committed to providing the necessary resources to make them happen.