CHAMBERS AND SERVICE
Adrian Frater, News Editor
Western Bureau:
The decision to move the ICC World Cup 2007 practice sessions that were slated for Jarrett Park in Montego Bay to Orange Valley in Trelawny has left the cricket authorities in St. James hopping mad.
"The Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) made the offer to us and we have actually started making preparations," said businessman Tom Chambers, president of the St. James Cricket Association (St. JCA). "It came as big surprise to us when we heard on television that Jarrett Park would no longer be used as a practice venue and that Trelawny had been accorded that privilege."
Chambers said he was particularly peeved by the fact that the St. JCA had gone ahead and established a planning committee, which included St. James Custos, the honourable Clarence Nelson; Montego Bay's Mayor, Councillor Noel Donaldson; the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce, the parish's four Members of Parliament and the Indian Community, to spearhead the preparation.
"Our committee has been meeting weekly so you can understand our frustration and embarrassment when we heard via the media that a switch has been made to Trelawny," noted Chambers. "What has happened is a slap in the face for us because there was so much enthusiasm among the members of the planning committee."
At a recent meeting with key stakeholders in Trelawny, the venue for the 2007 World Cup opening ceremony - slated for the new stadium at the 'greenfield' site in Trelawny, Robert Bryan, the chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the World Cup, said the practice venue would be shifted from Jarrett Park to what was then an undisclosed venue in Trelawny.
President of the Trelawny Cricket Association (TCA),
Phillip Service, subsequently told The Gleaner that his association has been lobbying the LOC to have the practice venue shifted to Trelawny because he felt that as the host parish for the World Cup opening ceremony, Trelawny needed to get some of the spin-offs from the staging of the tournament.
"It would have been unfair if we were bypassed as a practice venue because there is so much to be gained from such an exercise," said Service, who is also the local development officer for the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). "I would be happy if a way could be found to accommodate St. James but not at the expense of Trelawny."
However, Chambers continues to maintain that the decision to bypass Jarrett Park is a most unfortunate one as in addition to a venue which has hosted international cricket in the past, St. James also had experienced cricket administrators, supportive businesses, political leaders and the added benefit of hotel rooms and attractions.
"We are very disappointed with what has happened," said Chambers, who also noted that the St. JCA did not offer itself but was actually asked to be host by the top leadership of JCA team, including president Jackie Hendriks. "We will definitely have to think twice whenever offers like this are made to us because what has happened to us in this instance is most embarrassing."
