Grenada?s chances of hosting matches in the 2007 Cricket World Cup should not be written off yet.

Though Hurricane Ivan inflicted widespread destruction on the Spice Isle last Wednesday, including major damage to the Queen?s Park Stadium, chairman of International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup West Indies (ICC CWC) 2007 Board of Directors Rawle Brancker is confident that country could still be involved in the cricketing showpiece in three years? time.

?I would think there would be some priorities the Grenada Government will have to establish, but this opportunity is one that is going to promote the country and from which it is going to earn foreign exchange and derive a lot of promotionm? said Brancker, speaking in Barbados on the weekend.

?I would think it is still one of the essentials to be considered.?

Opened in 2000, the Queen?s Park Complex ? which houses cricket and athletics stadia ? suffered significantly during the hurricane with the roofs of its covered stands being blown off. In July, Grenada was awarded a six-match package for the Super Eight (second round) segment of the Cricket World Cup.

Bermuda, which was bidding for first-round games, has been designated the tournament?s first alternate venue. The Board will meet in St. Kitts at month end and the Grenada tragedy is expected to be discussed.

Stressing he was voicing a personal opinion, Brancker noted it?s ?early enough for a stadium to be rebuilt? and therefore that should not be a concern.

?With the amount of devastation in Grenada, what one has to be concerned about is, with all the other needs, whether the sporting needs can be filled or looked after with as much priority as other aspects, like housing and getting people re-established in businesses?? said the chairman.

?We are remaining positive that it is still going to be in Grenada?s interest to be involved in the World Cup. To what extent, only the next few weeks will tell us.?

Brancker noted that, with the Cricket World Cup being a joint undertaking, Hurricane Ivan?s repercussions could bring out the best in the region.

?We are now in the phase where the eight countries that have been awarded matches are not just looking after themselves, but they are looking to see where they can help each other.

?This is a tremendous test of that attitude ? the amount of help we can give Grenada to get it back on its feet and get it ready for the World Cup,? he said.

Meanwhile, managing director of ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, Chris Dehring, said a strong regional response was necessary to this massive setback and expressed confidence that the resilient Caribbean people would work even closer to overcome the crisis and remain on course for the Cricket World Cup 2007.

?We at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 Inc. are particularly saddened by the indescribable loss experienced by the Grenadian people on Wednesday.

?We, of course also particularly regret the severe damage to the new Queen?s Park Stadium and other sporting facilities in Grenada,? he said.

?While access to food, water and shelter are the priorities at this time, the CWC 2007 Inc stands ready to provide technical assistance in the restoration of cricket facilities at the appropriate time.?

Dehring said that managing the effects of hurricanes and other natural disasters associated with the Caribbean had been incorporated into preparations for the Cricket World Cup from the outset.