FILE
Abraham Grant, president of the Trench Town Craft Producers Association (right), explains this piece of craft, one of many he had on display, to Shauna-Kay Hutchinson.
Franklyn Morant, Contributor
IN 2007, JAMAICA and some of the English-speaking Caribbean islands, including Antigua, Barbados, Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago, will play host to one of the most spectacular events in the world of sports, the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup Cricket. Almost all countries that play cricket will participate in these games for the coveted trophy, the prize monies and all the attendant glories that go with winning.
Some time last year, the West Indies Cricket Board and its associates at a function in Barbados, held the draw for the various packages which would determine the itineraries and schedule of events, the where and when of activities and games. Jamaica fared well in the draw of the packages. We were fortunate to have received a very attractive package that included the hosting of the opening ceremonies, some preliminary games and a few semi-final games.
UNDER SCRUTINY
Jamaica's package will ensure that all the playing cricketers, their fans, officials, media and visitors at large will be assembled here for the grand opening ceremonies before they are dispatched to the various venues to compete.
These attendees will be coming to our shores not only to enjoy their cricket and festivities but also to learn first-hand about our country, our people and our rich culture. Our nation will be on show and under very close scrutiny.
But apart from the fact that these visitors will be here and are expected to spend millions of dollars and pounds sterling at our bars, restaurants, hotels and other places of attraction and recreation; they will be here to do a research on Jamaica for themselves, their various organisations and their countries of origin.
Therefore, our historical sites, our art galleries, our music halls, our theatres will not only be on show but they are going to be visited and tested by these cynics. Jamaica will seriously be examined and exposed to the world as never before so advertised.
PREPARATORY WORK
Now, in preparing for this world event, millions of dollars will have to be spent by our Government, private sector and our people. This level of spending will be to ensure that we put on a good and positive show for ourselves and for the world to see. It is for these reasons that I supported the building of a new cricket ground or sports complex in the parish of Trelawny to host the opening ceremonies, and the upgrading of the Sabina Park to hold preliminary and some semi-final games.
However, I must propose and put this proposal to 'Joe Public', that Boys' Town in Trench Town should also be prepared as a venue to host some of these preliminary matches that will be played here in Jamaica.
FIXING BOYS' TOWN
If Boys' Town, situated on Collie Smith Drive in Trench Town, were selected, it would then definitely have to be refurbished and prepared to meet this occasion. It would also necessitate the surrounding areas being refurbished and ready for the occasion. Trench Town would now be on the agenda and on its way to fulfil the possibilities and potential that it has.
From First Street to Seventh Street, where 'Trench Town rock', new and improved housing stock would have to be put in place. The Bob Marley Culture Yard along First Street would have to be properly developed, upgraded and maintained. The historical May Pen Cemetery along Spanish Town Road, the final resting place for many great Jamaicans, including Collie Smith, would finally get the fixing and cleaning that it deserves, with a new perimeter fence and proper ground maintenance. It would then become the national shrine that it should be. Then next would be the Coronation Market along Spanish Town Road, the meeting place for all classes of Jamaicans; urban and rural, rich and poor would finally move to completion.
The Vin Lawrence Park in Trench Town would then have to be repaired and properly maintained. The police stations in the area would then have to be upgraded, properly manned and equipped. The old and memorable Ambassador Theatre along Collie Smith Drive could then be converted to a musical museum and a venue for the performing arts. The old animal hospital or pound would become a part of the new and modern Boys' Town complex. Then, along Collie Smith Drive, recording studios, music shops and boutiques could be put in for souvenir hunters, record shoppers and shoppers in general. Throughout all of this, we would leave a spot for 'Georgie' who makes the firelight that burns throughout the night to put in his restaurant to continue cooking his famous cornmeal porridge and other Jamaican delicacies.
Boys' Town would then be given a new name befitting the occasion, that of 'Collie Smith Oval'. A bronze statue of this great Boys' Town, Kingston College, Jamaican and West Indian cricketer, 'The Mighty Mouse', would then be erected at the front of this multi-purpose sports complex in his honour. I am sure that former cricketers from Australia, England, India and Pakistan, who felt the power of Collie's willow and faced the guile of his bowling would all nod in approval and be delighted with this gesture.
NO VISION
Now, with all these cricket monies that is to be spent or will be spent for the preparation and development of cricket and cricket facilities for these games, how could they, the planners, leave Boys' Town in Trench Town, the Collie and Bob connection, out of the equation? Here we have a place and an area in our island that is rich in our culture, music and sports heritage being placed on the back burner in their planning deliberations. This omission is certainly a travesty that seems to be the product of minds that have little knowledge of our past. History will not be kind to these planners and organisers for this gross oversight and shortsightedness.
To omit using Boys' Town (Collie Smith Oval) as a venue for some preliminary games, the planners and organisers of the games have missed a glorious opportunity to ensure that the money spenders and the powers that be spend some of these monies in a poor area that has vast potential and a rich cultural heritage that is crying out to be developed.
Trench Town, its Kingston 12, is already internationally known as the home of our famous musical icon Robert Marley and countless other Jamaican singers, dancers, entertainers, sportsmen and social thinkers who have also made their names internationally. It is indeed a fact that more foreign visitors when they come to Jamaica visit Trench Town, Kingston 12, than they would visit our national galleries and other places of interest that we now offer in Kingston.
THE CRITICS
No money invested in this Boys' Town in Trench Town project can ever be lost or wasted. The returns that would accrue on any investment in this project would be phenomenal, have lasting significance and effect that we cannot even imagine now or in the future.
Critics, whoever you are and wherever you are, don't tell me about violence in the area in order to stall this crucial project proposal from being implemented. Violence is everywhere on earth. It is even on wheels. When we are talking about development, violence should not stop it from happening. That would be a 'cop out'. It should really be the other way around; development should put a stop to violence. For with proper planning, administration and effective security, all eventualities would be taken into account and be taken care of as much as is humanly possible.
POLITICAL RIVALRY
In Trench Town, violence does exist because of poverty, high unemployment and illiteracy among hundreds of young people. Violence sometimes occurs there because of overzealous political rivalry that can sometimes get out of hand, but this can be controlled by the powers that be at anytime. This proposed development and upgrading vision for this area should certainly create enough jobs, training and social amenities for the youths to 'simmer down' and control their tempers.
In this nation, we are supposed to be one people, with one love, yet we do not act that way. We all must now get involved. We all must do for the poor, interact with the poor and less fortunate. We must give opportunities, activities and hope to them so that they can take their minds from violent acts, deviant behaviour and poverty.
All of us in this country are enjoying or have enjoyed the products of Trench Town, Kingston 12, for a very long time. It is now time for us to put back something into the Boys Town in Trench Town mix.
