Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport
Desmond Leaky ... concerned Trelawny won't reap long-term benefits from the World Cup.
DESMOND LEAKY can safely be called the father of the yet-to-be-named but highly-publicised cricket arena in Trelawny.
Leaky and 2007 World Cup supremo Chris Dehring (he can be the godfather) selected the north-coast site, loosely known as 'Greenfield', a few years back and from there sprung what is turning out to be quite an attractive offspring.
However, Leaky, the former MP for North Trelawny, is a little like a de facto father nowadays and while he visits his progeny often, he fears his golden child may turn into a white elephant.
HISTORIC WATER WHEEL
The somewhat ironically named current restorer of an historic water wheel in Martha Brae believes all will run smoothly during the World Cup next year at the isolated venue. It's what happens before and after which concerns the spry 60-something.
"My feeling is that there should be more action in Trelawny to do with the promotion (of the event)," Leaky said.
"I don't feel the community involvement and I don't believe they (the people of the parish) know the implications and the event is not that far away," he said.
AMBUSH MARKETING
"For instance, how do the business people here guard against ambush marketing which is going to be a key factor for local entrepreneurs how far are they down the road? I would not say we are in the dark, I know the custos has set up a committee, but I don't feel the involvement of the business people.
"I don't see them saying we are doing this and doing that and we are going to be applying for this," he said.
The initial World Cup 2007 vision for the West Indies was grand, however, reality has now kicked in and Leaky fears his parish may miss the money bus and be left with an albino pachyderm when all is said and done.
"People talk about this field becoming a white elephant and I fear that," he said. "If things continue to go the way they are now, I see problems. I saw the Greenfield as a catalyst for development (in Trelawny). The World Cup will come and promote it to the world but you would lose that if you don't have anything to sell after the World Cup is gone."
The original vision of a north-coast site was far-reaching.
"We wanted a facility so well designed that we would be able to have other entertainment attractions like the Jazz Festival and the baseballers in Florida we could have training here in the winter. We must look for a promoter to advertise the arena for 50 or 60 days a year," he said.
"Cricket is just over a short period of time ... What we have to do is advertise Trelawny and the stadium and reap whatever benefits we can from the World Cup.
"I feel we are lagging behind in that area," he said while proudly overlooking a greenish field still in its infancy.
