Preliminary data show that Australians lead the list of thousands of applicants from around the world for the special CARICOM visa needed for Cricket World Cup. A spokesman for the issuing agency has confirmed that as many as 500 visas have been issued to Australians, the largest group so far of the more than three thousand applications made via the Internet. The figure represented only those who paid by credit card online and did not include the number of people who walked in and paid cash at visa issuing sites worldwide. The CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security confirmed that the visas were being issued in as little as four days exclusive of courier time. The introduction of a single visa to visit ten CARICOM nations for Cricket World Cup had angered some Australians while critics in the Caribbean had suggested that the tourism industry stood to lose millions of dollars. But CARICOM officials said only about five per cent of potential visitors were affected by the visa regime. Beginning February 1, visitors from select countries will require a special all-nation visa for any purpose to enter Jamaica, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadines as well as Trinidad & Tobago. Reprinted from radioja.com