Government allocates funds for ICC extension

THE eThekwini Unicity (metropolitan Durban) has approved the allocation of R38m to fund the construction of an extended roof structure for the International Convention Centre (ICC) in the city. Acting ICC ceo, Alec Gilbert, said the roof structure marks the first phase of the R200m ICC extension, which upon completion will double the capacity of the ICC to 23 000 sqm and make it Africa's biggest convention centre under one roof. He said the timing of the initial extension would also assist in Durban's bid to host the Indaba beyond 2003. Construction will begin next week and should be complete in time for the African Union summit in July. Meanwhile, despite pressure to move the conference to Cape Town, the international organising committee for the 41st World Congress of Surgery has confirmed that the event will be taking place at the ICC from August 21 to 26, 2005. This decision was reached once representatives of the International Society of Surgeons (ISS) had conducted a site inspection of ICC Durban, the city and the numerous pre-and post convention tour options within a two-hour drive. Victor Bertscai, administrative director of the ISS, explained; "Felix Harder (president) and I could not find any reasons whatsoever which could have justified a change to Cape Town." Contenders for the 2005 conference along with South Africa were the United States of America (Seattle), France, Canada, Turkey and Cuba. The bid was presented at the World Congress of Surgery staged in Mexico in 1997. An estimated 3 800 delegates will attend the 2005 event in Durban. (Miguel de Sousa)