Daraine Luton and Mark Titus, Sunday Gleaner Writers

Core dancers, drawn from groups islandwide, rehearsing yesterday for today's opening ceremony for Cricket World Cup at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium in Florence Hall - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

ORGANISERS say today's opening ceremony for the ICC Cricket World Cup at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium, in the previously little known town of Florence Hall, promises to be "the biggest pan-Caribbean gala of West Indies music, culture and way of life."

Up to press time yesterday, production personnel were working feverishly to ensure that plans come to fruition and that the historic feat is realised with the minimum of hiccups, while performers were preparing for a final dry run before the big event.

Some US$2.5 million is being spent to stage the opening ceremony for which a crew of approximately 2,500 persons, including children, has been spending months preparing.

"Although not lucky enough to have a budget as big as other opening ceremonies, we have managed to put together, through a great team, what we think will be one of the best-ever CWC openings," says event director Martin Lewis.

Robert Bryan, executive director of the Local Organising Committee, says the event, dubbed 'West Indian Energy', should be a "great show that will showcase the very

best of the region." Says Bryan: "If it rolls off the way it is supposed to, it is going be quiet an experience of which everybody will be proud."

The ceremony, which gets under way at 5:15 this afternoon, is slated to climax with a massive fireworks display at 8:14, almost one hour after Sir Garfield Sobers, the legendary servant of West Indies cricket, declare open for the first time in the Caribbean, the ICC Cricket World Cup. Patrons are expected to be seated by 4:40 p.m., 15 minutes before the 385 officials, 362 of whom are squad members, take their spot in a stand at the eastern end of the ground. More than 10,000 persons are expected to attend the ceremony, and an estimated 1.8 billion will view it on television.

Teams will parade on the field in alphabetic order, but the West Indies, being the host, will be the last to take the field. However, when they fall into place on the grounds, they will stand in the centre after which the CWC anthem will be played.

Every team will parade with a child, which ICC West Indies Executive Director, Chris Dehring, says is intended to communicate to the world that the cricketers are united for children and against the deadly AIDS epidemic. Officials say the teams are expected to spend about 40 minutes on the field, during which time West Indies Cricket Board President Ken Gordon, West Indies Captain Brian Lara and Jamaican umpire Steve Bucknor will speak before Sir Gary makes the let the games begin declaration.

Some of the region's international artistes such as David Rudder, Machel Montana, Alison Hines, Bugsy Sharpe, Luther Francios, Beres Hammond, Dr. Jimmy Cliff, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Sanchez, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, Sly and Robbie, Lucky Dube and Drum Caf? from South Africa, will perform.

The recently constructed Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium is a 10,543-seat spectacle. Seating is located on the north and south stands, while grass dominates the eastern and western areas of the facility. The broadcast centre, players' dressing room and the VIP area is also in the north stand.