The hosting of the 2007 World Cup Cricket will be good for Jamaica from a public relations standpoint. However, the island cannot afford such a costly undertaking at a time when 70 cents of every dollar of government revenue goes into servicing the national debt.

Nurses, policemen and teachers clamour each year for wage increases and are repeatedly told by Government that they are not in a position to meet their demands. What led to the decision for Jamaica to host the World Cup Cricket? Why was the country kept in the dark for so long about the minuscule earnings from Cricket World Cup, against the cost of staging the event?

The former administration, under P.J. Patterson's leadership, took the bandwagon approach on certain regional issues. The CCJ, the CSME and Cricket World Cup 2007 are three examples of government opting for the best interest of the region, as opposed to what was in the best interest of Jamaica.

The preparation for Cricket World Cup 2007 is looking more and more like an exercise in financial recklessness. What was the process used in the contract bidding for the rebuilding of Sabina Park and the construction of the Trelawny stadium? The short-term gains from hosting Cricket World Cup are not worth the long-term problems that the country will face well into the future.

Patrick A. Gallimore, pagalley@hotmail.com, Kingston, Via Go-Jamaica

Jamaica at a (World Cup) loss? I note the articles that refer to the spectre of financial loss in hosting the World Cup Cricket. If Jamaica stands to lose some US$191 million by so doing, if it is too late to pull out, and if we are willing to save ourselves, why do we not put our heads together to see how we can supplement the meagre income expectations? Is this too much to ask?

Let's brainstorm the problem. Yes, be irritated, but table new ideas, investigate them, incubate the results, be inspired, innovate, invest and improve the income outcome. Or does this all rest with the Government? Every profession, industry, artform, service, business and scientific discipline should each (now) go into a huddle and come up with the answer(s).

Chuh man! Mek wi duh betta dan dat!