UP TO late last evening Chronicle Sport was reassured that negotiations were still ongoing over the deal to host the semi-finals and final of the 2016 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL). According to a source, the government and the CPL officials are yet to reach that common ground for the hosting of the tournament, which Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman said the government is trying to do.
It is unclear if the government is still trying to break down the cost of the event’s marquee playing days, though Minister Trotman confirmed that the last price heard by him was US1.5M or thereabouts.
He also confirmed that initially, the CPL Committee had the original asking price of US$2M for the two semi-finals and final and during Wednesday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, Trotman confirmed the government’s interest in hosting the six-team tournament.
He said, “What I think was attractive to the government is that the CPL organisation or the organisers extended to us the offer of hosting the final, semi-finals and four games here and in our Jubilee year, we believe that it would be a good filling to the celebrations.”
“We believe that having cricket here and having international stars in Guyana is just the festive mood that would be a good injection to our economy,” Trotman continued.
However, at the same press conference, he confirmed that contrary to reports one day earlier, the government had not solidly succeeded in its bid to host the final, as the Minister of Finance was still in talks over the proposed cost.