By John Myers, Jr. Staff Reporter
McKenzie: "It would be a sad day in the history of our capital city if Kingston was not chosen as the accepted venue."
MAYOR OF Kingston Desmond McKenzie yesterday went to bat for his city to host World Cup Cricket matches as the competition between Kingston and Trelawny heats up over which parish should get the nod as the Jamaica venue in 2007.
Citing the economic spin-offs and potential jobs, McKenzie argued that Sabina Park ought to be the choice as it would give fillip to Kingston's campaign to establish itself as a tourist destination.
But Trelawny, with the full backing of Custos Roylan Barrett, points to Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) estimates that Jamaica would see incremental earnings of US$40 million if the north coast site of Greenfield gets the thumbs up.
About 36,000 cricket fans per game from 16 countries are projected to watch the world's best cricketers in action in Jamaica in 2007 if it wins a bid to host matches. An estimated 28,000 of the spectators are likely to be foreigners.
COMPELLING REASONS
Custos Barrett, a former president of the Trelawny Cricket Association, has pointed to the proximity of the Sangster International Airport and the availability of more than 14,000 hotel rooms stretching from Negril to Ocho Rios to accommodate the cricket fans, as plusses in their campaign.
By the time the competition rolls around, the room stock is expected to have increased by 15 per cent, said Custos Barrett.
But if the competition is held in Trelawny, considered one of Jamaica's safest parishes, it would mean the construction of a new cricket facility.
Mayor McKenzie, at a press conference yesterday, said Kingston, as the capital city, already has the supporting infrastructure.
"Sabina Park has a very long and rich history. It would be a sad day in the history of our capital city if Kingston was not chosen as the accepted venue," McKenzie said at his monthly press briefing.
He has called for the backing of the Portmore municipality, noting that the dormitory community also stands to benefit.
Jamaica and other Caribbean states are vying to host the finals of the competition. The Inter-national Cricket Council (ICC) makes its decision in July.
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson currently has a technical team assessing the suitability of the proposed venues, and a decision is expected by next week.
The ICC, according to Custos Barrett, will be advancing about US$7-8 million to the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to finance the cricket facility and the Government is to provide guarantees for loans of US$19 million to be repaid.
Conceding that the facilities in Kingston need renovation and upgrading, Mayor McKenzie said: "If we start now, Sabina Park and the city of Kingston will be ready by 2007."
He noted that "the private sector, community-based organisations, non-government organisations, including the trade unions, as well as Government, have to collaborate..." for this to happen.
But Custos Barrett, in 'The Case for Trelawny', said it would take US$20 million to renovate existing facilities, versus US$26 million to build (a new facility) over a 14 to 18-month period.
"We in Trelawny propose a site which will be the most picturesque and scenic in the Caribbean, surpassing Arnos Vale in St. Vincent," he said.
Greenfield is located on the Falmouth-to-Daniel Town main road and consists of some 40 acres of land, said to be on a plateau overlooking the town of Falmouth, Bush Cay and the sea.
