THE ARGUMENTS and counter arguments about the cost to the country of hosting a part of next year's Cricket World Cup tournament reflect a sad lack of appreciation by both the Government and the parliamentary Opposition of the real and potential economic benefits.
The explanation provided by Jampro about the likely benefits has underlined a surprising narrowness of thinking on the issue by both Dr. Omar Davies, the Finance Minister, and Mr. Bruce Golding, the Opposition Leader.
We are amazed that the many hours of discussion on the matter during a meeting of the Standing Finance Committee could have taken on the tenor of a first-form arithmetic class, concentrated on computing the benefits of the event to the economy on the capital cost of the infrastructure, minus how much would be collected in gate receipts for the World Cup matches.
The discussion between Dr. Davies and Mr. Golding appeared to have been based on the untenable contention that there ought to be a profit on the investment by the time the last match is played in Jamaica.
We are in no position to counter the stated cost of the investment and the likely gate receipts, as offered by Dr. Davies. We maintain that the stadium that is being constructed in Trelawny, and the improvements being made to Sabina Park, will not be useless after the tournament, as suggested in Mr. Golding's questions to Dr. Davies, and in the minister's lame and often confused response.
The improved facilities will offer Jamaica an opportunity to exploit a market in sports tourism that has been denied the country, not only by a lack of facilities but by a lack of enterprise by the administrators of the island's tourism.
Several countries in the eastern Caribbean have been benefiting from this, and some with a sports infrastructure that is below the level of that which is being created in Trelawny and at the
remodelled Sabina Park.
The attraction of Jamaica to this market will be enhanced by the significant exposure to the leisure and sports tourism market that the island will receive in the months leading up to the tournament, and during the matches.
Dr. Davies' 'Plan B' should not be the dream of further gate receipts for matches that could be transferred from Guyana. It should be a 'Plan A' to monetise, through astute management and marketing, the facilities that are being built.
The arguments about Jamaica's participation in the Cricket World Cup should not be about how much the country will lose. It should be about how the country will make a profit from the event in the longer term through creative thinking and management.
The first month's rental income cannot cover the cost of building a house.
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