The Editor, Sir:

The Opening Ceremony of the ICC World Cup mounted in the beautifully designed multi-purpose stadium in Trelawny, should make all Jamaicans and our regional compatriots proud. We all hope that we will now get from Captain Lara and his team the outcome that he (Lara), with mature and tempered assurance has promised the region.

They have had a good start in the highly commendable and superlatively praised show by artistic talents skilfully pulled together by Bert Rose, L'Antionette Stines and Monica Lawrence, aided and abetted by a range of performers from school children through dance and musical theatre groups, costume designers and drummers to top-of-the line internationally acclaimed popular musical artistes.

The crowning finale involving the formidable David Rudder, the quite remarkable Lovindeer and the enduring master Jimmy Cliff made up for earlier programme glitches which some would no doubt want to dwell on.

The crew of workers on the Opening deserve this country's gratitude for the display of dedication and commitment against such odds as very serious budgetary constraints in particular and the 'croomoging' attitude of quite a few who were of a mind for it to fail. Well, it did not and we should now settle down, wish the West Indies team well, the game of cricket even more so and genuinely hope that the stadium at Florence Hall, as the one in Kingston, which had its detractors in its time, will work to the benefit of our people all over the country.

The region's pedigree as a centre of excellence for crickets has once again demonstrated that it is also a centre of excellence for world-class creative output. The hundreds who worked on the now historic opening deserved the region's commendation and gratitude.

I am, etc.,

REX NETTLEFORD (Prof.)

rexn@uwimona.edu.jm

Office of the Vice Chancellor Emeritus