Work continues on the Republic of China on Taiwan-financed Warner Park Redevelopment, one of the venues for World Cup Cricket 2007. (The first matches were played on the new grounds between local teams and a visiting Lanchashire squad on Tuesday and Wednesday)

"I think the Guyanese government probably in 2004, would have done that because the cement crisis didn't just creep up on us.  It was showing signs that we would have a crisis, especially leading up to World Cup 2007, and so that is one imitative that is taking place at the regional level," Hazel told the Communications Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Appearing on the radio and television programme "National Echo" on Monday, Hazel said a number of the private sector bodies in the Caribbean have approached the CARICOM Secretariat for the "green light to go ahead to and import cement from non-CARICOM producing states." 

He said there are a number of issues are being looked at to "try and avoid a serious fall out from the cement shortage that is presently wreaking havoc on the building sectors within the Caribbean."

"One local investor is looking at the opportunity to install a bulk cement facility so that we can bring in cement in St. Kitts in bulk shipment and have a critical storage of that cement available to service the building sector in St. Kitts, in Nevis and within the neighboring islands," said Hazel.

"That is proposal that is being actively reviewed by the Government of St.

Kitts and Nevis and is that the investors are actively pursuing this," said Hazel, declining to give specifics at this time.

"I would want to give the investor and the decision makers in government the opportunity to make that announcement once the time is right," he added.