Orville, Taylor

The worst time to wash one's dirty laundry is when strangers are around. And if the Cricket World Cup (CWC) is not the biggest public spectacle ever in Jamaica, nothing is. Actually, the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1966 would have been bigger because it involved 32 nations and covered several sporting disciplines.

When the Government accepted the task to hold those games, several critics, naysayers and simply bad-minded people, reportedly did not want them to succeed. Among the comments was the view that the National Stadium, constructed at a massive cost, was going to be a white elephant. One 'prophesy' was that the grandstand roof, with no visible support for its front edge, would crumble. Even today the belief persists. Thankfully, the cement used was not of the quality discovered in 2005 the stadium has the same complexion as those large mammals, it is certainly not white.

Glory not Gory

The first time that the games were held outside of a nation largely peopled by whites was in 1966 and we did well. No gold medals, but four silvers were gained, including one for boxing and eight bronze, including a shooting medal. This is one of the few occasions that our talents for fighting and firearm use brought us glory instead of gory. The CWC is another opportunity.

Last week, not only was our slip showing but the entire contents of our chest of drawers were on display. What is being described as a 'brief' set of glitches is more like a large Queen Victoria Secret.

On the day of the first warm-up match in Trelawny, hundreds of volunteers were stranded outside, awaiting accreditation. It is unsure if it had anything to do with the reported discrepancy in seating capacity. Cricinfo.com the official website of international cricket, informs us that the Trelawny Stadium seats 20,000 while the locals tell us it is about 16,000. Nevertheless, it was resolved satisfactorily.

Still, as one problem was solved, another arose. Performers gathered in droves at St. George's College as advised,to be accredited. However, chaos reigned because conflicting instructions were given. So, without a true indication of what to do, they waited impatiently 'in lying' for hours.

On the seating issue, it is strongly rumoured that the Mecca of West Indian cricket, Sabina Park, has missing seats as those originally supplied by the contractor were poorly manufactured. Anyway, it is my prayer and hope that none of the construction at Sabina and Trelawny used the cement that escaped the scrutiny of 'youthful' exuberance.

However, the Local 'Organism' Committee (LOC), despite its self-inflicted displeasures, has done far more good than bad. Official mouthpiece, Senator Delano Roosevelt Franklyn is massaging the organisers with the good news that ticket sales are beyond projections and hotel occupancy is maxed out. Good news! But the real test is going to be years down the road when the dance is over. As he himself said, the challenge will be to guarantee that the 13,000 to 15,000 CWC tourists will return to the island afterwards. Actually, it is even bigger than that. It is how do we use the stadium in a profitable way and whether it can accommodate multiple disciplines. After all, experts have opined that the Trelawny complex can't fit in a 400 metre track. So, that rules out the most beneficial sport to Jamaica in our entire history.

One phrase keeps leaching into my vocabulary: 'underpreparedness and inadequate forethought.' Roads leading to and surrounding the venues came perilously close to not being completed. Even now, it is clear that the finish was not as expected but, thank God! Then a golden opportunity was lost with the lack of attention to Hampden Wharf. In the year when we commemorate the 200th anniversary of the end of the slave trade, this most historic location, where thousands of slaves were sold, should have been restored. With a jetty leading out into deeper waters, this could become a new stomping ground for cruise ships. Remember, neither Montego Bay nor Ocho Rios has enough pier or dock space.

Couldn't someone have attempted a full-scale development of the town of Falmouth along Georgian lines long before? Then, out of the blue, former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson made his unwelcome criticisms regarding the apparent procrastination of the LOC.

Speaking on a programme that I co-host, but thankfully to my much nicer colleague, Patterson said "... we have a habit in Jamaica ... We wait until the last minute for everything. As you travel around the country ... one has to ask the question, why did we not commence before?" I wonder too, because Portia had only a year to do all that he did not. All of the work that he is criticising ought to have begun during the last year of his tenure. But he is a septagenarian so he might have 'forgotten.'

Homeless persons 'deported'

Anyway, back on the subject of clean images. Mayor of Port Maria, Bobby Montaque alleges that Locally Organised Clean-up Operations (LOCO), 'deported' at least six homeless persons of unsound mind from the vicinity of the World Cup venues, like Haitians, and dumped in his parish. Well, they must be crazy because no sane person would want to cross any of those rickety bridges to enter St. Mary if he had a choice. Perhaps they crossed through the 'morass' but the Member of Parliament says that he was not the 'Guy'. Hopefully, this assertion is as ill-advised as the march on Jamaica House.

Finally, are the emergency and fire services ready? Last week after the crowd shouted "Thank God it's a fire-truck," (TGIF) we heard, "So horrible it 'tink!"

At least the cesspool drivers used their 'initiative'.

Dr. Orville Taylor is senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at the University of the West Indies, Mona.