WORLD CUP PREPARATIONS hit by escalating costs in some Caribbean venues and delays in others are raising concerns at some of the highest levels in the region.

The latest Leader to voice his worries was Grenada¹s Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell, who like Barbados¹ Leader, Owen Arthur, placed the preparations directly under his supervision in order to accelerate the pace of getting the job done in time for the games.

He said he wanted to ensure that roadblocks in rebuilding Grenada¹s stadium and the infrastructure after their devastation by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 were eliminated. He said while costs had indeed gone up in some areas in Grenada, the region would not fail to put on what would turn out to be the best World Cup competition ever, he added.

Mitchell predicted that the 2007 World Cup would be highly successfully. Dr. Mitchell acknowledged that Grenada had been hit by some unexpected cost increases.

"Yes, there have been a lot of costs, some of them not foreseen initially. But when you add them up and look at the potential opportunities for the region I think it is worth it", he said.

(Reproduced from the March 17, 2006 issue of the Barbados Nation newspaper)