Caribbean governments have received a list of recommendations stemming from the recent ICC CWC 2007 Security Workshop for Regional Airline, Airport, Ground Handling and Shipping Agents. These action points, aimed at…
Caribbean governments have received a list of recommendations stemming from the recent ICC CWC 2007 Security Workshop for Regional Airline, Airport, Ground Handling and Shipping Agents. These action points, aimed at improving and fine-tuning airport and seaport operations for next year’s tournament, covered a number of areas including: Airport Security, Airline Security, Immigration and Customs Support, Red & Green Customs Line Management, Airport Operational Hours, Disruptive Passengers and Aircraft Arrivals & Departures.
CWC’s Visitor Experience Manager, Cliff Hamilton, said the distribution of the action plan, via CARICOM, will allow for a regional approach to many of the security issues which arose during the one-day meeting, held in Trinidad & Tobago by CWC’s Airline, Air and Seaports Task Force earlier this month.
“We are trying to establish common procedures for the implementation of security measures on airlines and at airports and seaports during Cricket World Cup – so that all the Host Venues will be operating on the same level,” he explained, adding that the benefits of such actions would be another fruitful legacy of the Event.
Some of the recommendations include: holding a meeting with chartered airlines and cruise lines to ascertain their level of bookings for the seven-week period of ICC Cricket World Cup next March and April; extending operational hours of regional airports; the appointment of persons to liaise with travellers throughout the Host Venues on security measures and requirements.
“There are other actions which relate specifically to the internal operational mechanisms of airports and seaports and how various functions inter-connect. It will be extremely important to get these implemented across all Host Venues during tournament time so that travel can be facilitated as smoothly as possible,” noted Hamilton.
The Security Workshop, he added, was “very useful” in bringing together nearly 50 officials from several relevant entities, such as the directors of security for regional and international carriers operating in the region; CEOs of ground-handling companies; airline customer service managers; directors of airport security; comptrollers of customs; regional aviation authorities and officials from CWC’s Security Directorate. Regional consular representatives of the tournament’s 16 Participating Nations were also invited.
Regarding the presence of the latter, Hamilton stated: “There will be issues relating to citizens of those countries – and other nations as well – so we wanted to have their input and discuss their role during Cricket World Cup. We got a great turn-out from embassies and high commissions across the Caribbean. Australia, Canada, India, the Netherlands, the UK and USA all sent representatives and there was a lot of interaction among them and other participants.”
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