ONE hundred and eighty people have been trained as hosts and hostesses and will be deployed in New Kingston and the downtown section of the city to provide assistance during next month’s ICC Cricket World Cup.

“What we are working towards having are pedestrian guides on the road, who are able to give our visitors directions and ensure that they know how to get around the city,” said Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) Kingston area chairman, Nichola Madden Greig.

“.We also need visitors to know how to access the shopping malls and the cricket village to be located at the Cable and Wireless Golf Academy, so it is really about directional assistance,” said Madden Greig.

The volunteers, who were trained by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), will take up duties during the period of the group stage matches from March 8 to 26, and from April 19 to 26, during the semi-final stage.

“The maximum we will be looking at is four-hour shifts for everybody over the period, and they will receive a stipend for meals throughout the day,” Madden Greig told JIS News.

The volunteers will wear T-shirts emblazoned ‘Kingston, the heartbeat of Jamaica’ as well as the words ‘City Guide’ with dark blue or black slacks.

According to Madden Greig, the initiative, which was being implemented in collaboration with the New Kingston Civic Association, was aimed at enhancing the visitors’ experience.

She added that the volunteers were serious about their country, which will be under the spotlight during the hosting of the ICC CWC 2007.

“We have mature adults, students from high school and colleges and working persons from both private and public sector…we have quite a variety of persons from all walks of life.”

The main sponsor of the programme is Scotiabank, while Cable and Wireless has supplied push/talk phones to assist communication during the period, and Rise Life Management also stepped forward to provide several volunteers.

On March 3, the volunteers will have a run-through of what is required and where they will be stationed during the period.