THERE MAY be many practical and rational reasons in the view of the local organisers for the Cricket World Cup to have schools in the vicinity of Sabina Park closed when matches are played in Kingston next year.
Over many years, sections of Jessie Ripoll Primary, St. George's College, Kingston College, Alpha and the Holy Trinity High School have been used for parking by persons attending matches at Sabina Park. With thousands more fans expected to file into Sabina Park for the Cricket World Cup, there is a potential logistical nightmare getting people in and out of the area.
Security concerns relating to vehicular travel seem a little less clear cut since many people live and work in the vicinity of the cricket grounds and it is difficult to see what sort of quarantine arrangements can be put in place to defuse the fears of the organisers.
Of greater concern is that the Jamaica Teachers' Association was not brought in on the discussions on this particular matter, although school administrators were contacted. At the very least the JTA should have been informed of the plans and their feedback solicited. It does not appear, however, that the schools need be greatly affected in a negative way by the plans.
School administrators have had to adjust their timetables from time to time because of unexpected developments such as storms, planned civil disobedience or spontaneous riots. With a full year to go, they can plan their timetables accordingly to make up for the lost days, particularly since some matches will straddle weekends when schools would be out in any case.
The local organisers of the Cricket World Cup should, however, take this issue as an example of how not to proceed in their other plans. Failure to consult affected stakeholders may result in great embarrassment. They should not assume that everybody will simply see the overall benefits to society and fall in line. If the public transportation to and from the area is going to be adjusted, for example, in a manner that causes inconvenience for residents who live and work nearby, there has to be prior discussion and suitable alternative arrangements put in place.
The spin-offs from the cricket festival may prove wonderful for Jamaica. Poor planning and lack of consultation may cause unexpected embarrassment.
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