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ROSEAU, Dominica (GIS) -- Dominica’s Tourism Minister Ian Douglas believes cricket has served as a source of unity for Caribbean people.

The minister made the remark when he addressed a Dominica Cricket Association-organised press conference last week to announce plans for the hosting of the second test match between West Indies and Zimbabwe in Dominica.

He says, “Very few institutions in the region have been able to unify us the way that test cricket has. Cricket has been able to bring us together and has been able to forge an identity for West Indians and the Caribbean civilization the way the University of the West Indies, calypso and reggae have and I’m happy to see that Dominica and the Dominican society has been able in recent times to contribute to that in a very remarkable and distinguished way. I hope that we will continue to do that for years to come.”

Douglas said the event will serve as an important marketing tool for the country.

“Test cricket has a great reach for us in tourism. I don’t believe that the amount of marketing dollars we have available to us now at the Discover Dominica Authority and the ministry of tourism could be enough to place Dominica on the map the way test cricket can and on the international scene the way test cricket has in Dominica.”

Meanwhile, president of the Dominica Cricket Association appealed to nationals to show support for the event by turning out in large numbers to next month’s matches.

“In Dominica we love our cricket, at the Windsor Park Sport Stadium we provide one of the best venues, the ambiance is always tremendous, the carnival spirit is always exciting for us and this year again we promise another carnival of cricket here. We’re looking forward to having large crowds as usual. We must continue to showcase Dominica as the best venue but we can only do so if we as Dominicans tie hands across the country from north to south and from east to west including the centre as well, bringing all Dominicans into the Windsor Park Sport Stadium. We filled the Windsor Park Sport Stadium last year from Monday to Friday in the test match. There’s nowhere else in the world you could’ve done that. We’re doing it again this year from Wednesday to Sunday and I’m quite sure our population is going to come out and give maximum support.”

In 2009 Dominica hosted two one day internationals between West Indies and Bangladesh and since then the Windsor Park Sport Stadium has been the venue for several matches between West Indies and other cricket teams.

The next event is scheduled for March 20 to 24 at the Windsor Park Sport Stadium.

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