THE GOVERNMENT has acquired most of the land around Sabina Park it needs to facilitate its Sabina Park reconstruction.
It is now seeking to inform and process people living in close proximity to the ground because of the direct impact the Cricket World Cup will have on their lives.
"We've acquired most of the property ... the majority of them have moved out already, we have equipment on the site," Pauline Nelson, communications manager of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Jamaica Cricket 2007 Limited, told The Gleaner.
"I think there's just one particular one (property not yet acquired) and the principals are overseas. Our lawyers are talking to them and we should have the keys in a number of weeks."
The entire Air Jamaica and press area at the north area of the ground has been demolished and work has already started on new stands. Melbourne Road, behind those stands towards the Campbell Town side, is already a part of the Sabina Park complex with most of the area flattened and offices for the builders, Ashtrom, in place.
BREAKTHROUGH
To the west, they have already made a breakthrough with regards to Emmet Park.
"We've just entered into a contract with St. George's (College) to use Emmet Park as the sponsor's corporate facility area, so we've leased that property," Nelson revealed.
Some amount of sterility will be applied within areas around the park and Nelson explained things Jamaica Cricket 2007 Ltd. will do to facilitate those residents.
With regards to Allman Town, she said: "We're working with the Social Development Commission (SDC) on the ground because they're in the community ... we're using the SDC network to get to the citizens, to sensitise them as to the pros and cons of Cricket World Cup.
"We're also doing a survey in the area to ascertain the number of persons living there. All those persons living in that area will have to be accredited because to get home, or to leave, the only way they will be allowed is to have accreditation. So we need to know how many persons are living in each household from now so we can make plans."
Nelson added: "We recently had a consultation meeting with stakeholders from Allman Town. It went pretty well. We'll be having a series of consultations with the people in that area."
