Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport

"WE'RE READY", proclaims the PM, so it must be so.

Maybe I'm living in a Bizarro world here where everything is upside down and back to front but I'm not quite sure what we are ready for. Cricket World Cup 2011? New taxes? More Trafigura donations?

But the PM says it's so, so it must be so.

I'm obviously hallucinating, but I do swear that each time I pass Heroes Circle it looks more and more like Riverton dump; maybe we want to give World Cup tourists the real Jamaican experience.

Perhaps my imagination is starting to run away with me, but it did seem like the National Stadium pool moved into Sabina Park a couple of days back.

And senility must truly be taking root in my little pea brain because I do believe I had no light when I got home the other night. Still, maybe I just have a deep-seated desire for candles and wax.

But, 'we're ready', so let the games begin.

When the first ball is tossed down at Sabina Park on Tuesday, we can forget how we nearly got there on time and just enjoy the game of cricket, which is really, when you cut to the chase, what it's all about.

Yeah, Jamaica dropped the ball, but then we only had nine years warning that the World Cup was coming, what do you expect?

Let's put that behind us now, set down the paint brushes and shovels, park the cement mixers, cover over those few thousand potholes - for a week or two (as usual), and get on with selling Brand Jamaica through its greatest ever commodity - YOU.

Bidding for and winning the Cup was always a high-risk proposition because basically there's as much to be lost as potentially gained from the elite sporting event.

While regional governments were sold on the idea of a World Cup-inspired economic boom through unprecedented exposure, tourism and new foreign investments, they probably didn't read the fine print which stated: "By the way, any major mess-ups during the Cricket World Cup 2007 will spark a region-wide catastrophe".

Pothole

Let's face it, if you are willing to travel halfwayaround the world to watch a cricket match, you are not going to get too upset about a pothole. However, a couple of mass murders, riots, etc. may just put you off your googlies and prompt you to tell your pals back home that Baghdad might be a safer holiday destination next time around.

Whenever I travel, I like to check out the famous landmarks and unique scenery, but the enduring memories are always the people and they generally decide whether I'm ever going to go back to their country again - not some old building or waterfall.

That's why it's simply up to Jamaicans - and the rest of the Caribbean too, to dust off Sunday's best, smile like you just don't care and put on the greatest bashment of all time.

Those tourists might just enjoy themselves so much that they may come back to this likkle rock again and bring some of their friends.

If they do - great. If not, not real biggie. At least you'll have enjoyed yourselves as only Jamaicans can and despite the surroundings.

Who said fun had to be clean anyway?

Let's just party like we did get it right on time.

I'm ready for that.

tym.glaser@gleanerjm.com.