[UPDATED] Cabinet gives CPL the green light

SPORT and Youth Affairs Minister Shamfa Cudjoe has said strict covid19 guidelines are being established for players participating in this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 Tournament in TT.

Cabinet, on Thursday, gave the green light for the CPL to host the tournament exclusively in TT from August 18 to September 12.

A total of 34 matches would be played at the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba and at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of Spain.

Addressing a hastily-called news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, Central Administrative Services, Scarborough, Tobago, Cudjoe told reporters:

“We would have been in negotiations with CPL for the past couple of weeks as it relates to hosting CPL in TT and finalising all of the arrangements as it relates to the covid protocol and guidelines.”

She said her ministry is partnering with the Ministry of Health and SporTT chairman Douglas Camacho, head of the local organising committee, to prepare the covid19 guidelines for the highly-anticipated, three-week tournament.

Cudjoe said over 250 players and staff from the six CPL teams will be staying at the Hilton Trinidad, St Ann’s. She said the Hilton is the hotel of choice for the CPL.

“We would have sat and negotiated the covid protocols as it relates to quarantining before they (players) leave their home country, when they arrive in Trinidad and Tobago to have the quarantining done here also.”

The international players in the 2020 edition would come from several countries including South Africa, England, Australia, New Zealand and Afghanistan. Players from throughout the Caribbean would also fly to TT for the tournament.

She added: “They would be tested before leaving home to ensure they are negative, tested when they get here to Trinidad and Tobago. Tested on their seventh day and then tested again on their fourteenth day.”

However, she made it clear spectators will not be allowed to enter the venues to view the matches. “Of course, it will have to be recorded and broadcast. So, we are happy to partner with CPL once again.”

Cudjoe said TT’s hosting of the CPL presents “a tremendous opportunity for the country to market itself as a tourism destination and as a safe place of choice as we champion this whole safety as it relates to covid.

“It is only right that our tourism entities in Trinidad and Tobago get ready to sell, sell, sell Trinidad and Tobago as a place of choice for sport tourism and all other types of tourism that we have been marketing for the previous years.”

She said even though crickets lovers cannot go to the Brian Lara Stadium or the Queen’s Park Oval, they can still “put on a T-shirt, fly our flags, dance and do all of the wonderful things we usually do at CPL, we can do so from our homes.”

Cudjoe said CPL will also market TT.

“They are bringing in two crews to do digital advertising and to develop any type of videos marketing the Trinidad and Tobago destination, our people and our culture.”

Cudjoe said the CPL also provides a good opportunity to “get sports going again” within the region.

The minister said the investment is usually US$1 million where half is paid in cash and the other half, in kind, through services offered to CPL and to ensure the operation of league goes well.

This story was originally published with the title "Govt confirms Trinidad and Tobago to host CPL" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

IT'S official. The entire Hero Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament would be held in TT.

A Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs media release on Thursday, said, "At today's meeting the Cabinet agreed to the hosting of the Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament in Trinidad over the period August 18, 2020 to September 12, 2020 with strict adherence to the covid19 guidelines."

Minister of Sport and Youths Affairs Shamfa Cudjoe would host a media conference at 3.30 pm on Thursday in Tobago.