Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda T20 Host Country Reflects on Tournament

The T20 World Cup was a major sports event in the Caribbean

Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda, Hon. Gaston Browne, and Minister of Education & Sports, Hon. Daryll Matthew met with the West Indies Cricket Team in Antigua on May 14th / Windies Cricket

By Joseph Hammond

            North America has gone wicket wild in recent weeks over the success of the T20 Cricket World Cup which was hosted across the Caribbean and various cities in the United States.

            Yet, with the tickets sold and the games played for some of the host countries the magic of the event will continue to linger for sometime.

            Gaston Browne, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda sat down with Sports Illustrated to offer a few words on what the tournament meant to Antigua and Barbuda. Browne said his country had “risen to the task of hosting the T20 Cricket World Cup for the first time.

            “It was an exciting time for the nation. It has given a boast in terms of culture and excellence. Our hosting of the tournament] reflects the excellence of our hospitality and it proves that one of the smallest countries in the world can provide global leadership.”

            A historic period for the country as the country hosted in a matter of weeks not only the T20 World Cup but, another important international event. Weeks before the tournament had hosted the Fourth United Nations Small Islands Development Summit which brought over 20 heads of states and leaders of nations to Antigua and Barbuda. The UN Summit brought home the impact of climate change on small states – an environmental event which will have an impact of outdoor sports like cricket in particular.

            “These events have lifted our spirits and show that the size of a country is no impediment in terms of hosting global events and showing global leadership.”

            The country’s hospitality industry is well known and has been the subject of significant American investment in recent years. Notably, a Nobu from Hollywood star and former boxing champion Mike Tyson has also invested in a cannabis farm in the tropical Caribbean nation in recent years.