ST GEORGE'S, April 14: Caribbean governments have been urged to install floodlights at World Cup grounds to boost their profitability after the tournament ends. “The thing that all the venues need to do is get stadium lights,” said Don Lockerbie, the World Cup's venue development director.

At the moment, only the Beausejour ground in St Lucia and the Vivian Richards stadium in Antigua, which both hosted first round matches, have floodlights.

“Stadium lights for the future should be the next phase for every stadium because that's going to help with night cricket, it's going to help with concerts, that's going to help with other trade shows and special events – church events, other events that could take place,” Lockerbie told the Caribbean Media Corporation.

“I highly urge the governments from the region that didn't have to put in lights because the World Cup doesn't have any day/night matches, to look at phase two in their venues and make sure that all of the features are finished. Lights would be great.”

The grounds being used for the World Cup have either been newly-built or refurbished at a combined cost of over $200 million.—AFP