New cricket law may dampen festivities
June 11, 2006
CHRIS DEHRING, managing director and CEO of Inter-national Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007, has said that some breaches of the law, which under normal circumstances would have been a breach of civil law, will be regarded as criminal offences when the tax-waived ICC Cricket World Cup comes to the region next year.
"There are aspects of the Sunset Legislation that will make things that would normally be on the books as a civil offence into criminal offences," Dehring said.
Sunset Legislation, a generic term, describes legislation added to the statute books for a fixed period of time. It will address various legislative issues that are necessary to stage a successful ICC CWC 2007.
Issues include tax exemptions for the event owners, organisers and team members and conduct that adversely affects the safety of the public within the stadium or other CWC 2007 venues. Ambush marketing of CWC 2007 products and interference that affect the efficient operation and staging of a CWC 2007 activity are also covered in the draft legislation.
The legislation, which has been agreed upon by the Attorney-General of the region, will be in force for a predetermined period prior to the event, and will cease to have effect on June 30, 2007, when the event ends.
SPECIAL TYPE OF REGULATION
"All major events, whether it be the Olympic Games or Football World Cup, require a very special type of regulation to govern the event and makes it possible for the host to put on the event and do it to world-class standard.
"Once you are hosting a major game, you become a potential target for terrorism. The legislation gives power to the security force to prosecute speedily, people who pose such threats," Dehring said.
ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 senior legal counsel, Derek Jones, has said he hopes the bill could become law "no later than November 2006, although we would prefer to see them (in place) earlier."...
Author: Gleaner Reporter
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
