Maxine Richards, a disgruntled resident of the Woodford Park community in Kingston, is angry that Allman Town will not be used as a culture park for Cricket World Cup. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

Daraine Luton, Staff Reporter

EFFORTS to clean up the city of Kingston and to display a squeaky clean image of Jamaica during Cricket World Cup (CWC) may be marred if residents of the Greater Allman Town area continue to feel disrespected.

Some persons who live in the immediate environment of Sabina Park, have hinted that they will embarrass the country if the Social Development Commission (SDC) and other stakeholders continue to bury them in the rubble.

Maxine Richards, a woman who describes herself as a "community woman who leads a flock," told The Gleaner that if necessary, she will mobilise residents to demonstrate on March 13, the first game day of the CWC.

Their idea of a culture plaza, they claim, has been stolen, and they may now never reap real rewards from Jamaica's hosting of cricket's showpiece event.

Sacrifices made

Tamara Reynolds, president of the Campbell Town Citizen Association, said that they have been working on the idea for the culture plaza for over three years and community members had bought into it. Many of these residents, she said, have taken bank loans and have purchased stocks which they may not be able to sell if the culture plaza does not become a reality.

The culture plaza, as successfully sold to the SDC, the Jamaica Tourist Board and potential investors, would have seen the Banana Board area of central Kingston transformed into a walkthrough village with uniformed theme stalls and an entertainment area. The SDC had committed $5 million of a $19-million budget.

However, justwhen residents were putting into place finishing plans for the event, news came that their Jamaica Culture Plaza might not come to fruition.

Lack of sponsorship

Lawman Lynch, general secretary of the Greater Allman Town Community Development Benevolent Society, which represents the residents, told The Gleaner that the excuse he has been getting is that companies which had committed, have pulled back because of crime and violence in the communities.

Meanwhile, Courtney Brown, regional director for the SDC, confirmed that the commission has overlooked the Allman Town Culture Plaza because the community has been unable to secure sponsorship.

"The benevolent society has not been able to pin down enough sponsorship," said Mr. Brown. "We are the only ones that have come to the table with some money. They had a $19 million budget and at the time said we could find $5 million on the basis that they could find the rest which they have not."

"There are a lot of competing interests, for the same money, so we have to look at the best value," added Mr. Brown.

The SDC is likely to put its money in the One Love village - of a similar nature - being planned for New Kingston.

Sheryl Smith, a disgruntled resident of Allman Town, Kingston, displays receipts for goods bought with money borrowed from the bank for sale during Cricket World Cup. She, like many vendors in the area are expressing their anger over how they are been treated by the authorities of the upcoming event. -Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer