Adrian Frater, News Editor
CHAMBERS
WESTERN BUREAU:
A SHOWDOWN is now looming over whether or not Jarrett Park will be made available for warm-up games in the build-up to the 2007 ICC World Cup as there are conflicting statements coming from the Jarrett Park Management Committee (JPMC) and the St. James Cricket Association (StJCA).
Responding to a statement from the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for World Cup 2007, in which that body claimed that it had been granted permission to use the park for the warm-up matches, president of the JPMC Adrian Grant said his committee had given no such commitment and remained adamant that unless alternate arrangements were made to facilitate football, no such permission would be granted.
"I am not going to sit back and allow them to come here and kick out the footballers," said Grant, who has been advocating the upgrading of another venue for football.
"All I am asking is that 1,500 seats be put in place at either the UDC playing field or at the new Catherine Hall stadium so that the football clubs will have a place to use," he said.
However, when Tom Cham-bers, the president of the StJCA was contacted yesterday to comment on the situation, he said the cricket association has a letter in its possession from the JPMC in which the requisite permission to use the park for the warm-up games was granted. He also raised questions about Grant's authority to take the position he has taken.
"We have a letter from the JPMC granting us permission to use the park. It was we who conveyed to the LOC that Jarrett Park would be available," said Chambers. "As far as I know, Jarrett Park belongs to the people of St. James and it is only the St. James Parish Council (StJPC) that has sole authority over its use."
However, when he was contacted for a comment on the situation, Montego Bay's Mayor and chairman of the StJPC, Councillor Noel Donaldson, said he had not had any dialogue with the cricket authorities about their plans to use Jarrett Park and noted that the day-to-day administration of the park was the sole prerogative of the JPMC.
"Any entity or individual desirous of using Jarrett Park must go through the JPMC, which is chaired by Mr. Adrian Grant," said Donaldson. "The JPMC is responsible for the daily operations of the park and, as chairman of the parish council, I would not get involved unless there is a situation in which they invite my intervention."
Under the LOC's plans to use Jarrett Park, it would require that the facility be closed between late February or early March next year to facilitate preparation for the warm-up cricket matches.
That period will coincide with games in the 2006-2007 Wray & Nephew National Premier League competition.
"We are prepared to join the JPMC in their bid to secure another venue for the football teams because it would be a great shame if we did not get these warm-up cricket games at Jarrett Park," said Chambers. "We have given our word to the LOC and we would not want to go back on that assurance."
The decisive stance taken by Grant has won him much support among sporting enthusiasts in the parish, who have long been clamouring for the development of additional top-flight sporting facilities in St. James.
