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The shameful duping of MoBay <DIV class=KonaBody>
It was with glee that I wrote in a column a few weeks ago expressing my happiness that the impasse threatening the use of Jarrett Park for next year's ICC CricketWorld Cup gamewas settled on account of promise to upgrade the new Catherine Hall Stadium to facilitate NPL teams Wadadah FC and Seba United.
I am therefore sadden, if not distressed, by recent news that there is no plan in place to start work on the Catherine Hall facility before the end of this year, which basically means that come December 31 when the park is closed for cricket preparations, the two football clubs will be left out in the cold without a venue to play home games.
decieved
Personally, I feel deceived by this sad/sick scenario, which really amounts to a case of duping the Jarrett Park Management Committee (JPMC) into believing that all is well, which caused them to turn over the park to the cricket authorities, paving the way for warm-up cricket games.
I have not spoken to businessman Adrian Grant, the chairman of the JPMC, but I am sure that he must be bitterly disappointed with the latest news out of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC). Had he known that there were no immediate plans to upgrade the Catherine Hall Stadium, I am sure he would not have granted permission to the cricket authorities to use the park.
Regrettably as it might be, I know that Mr. Grant, as a man of integrity, will not go back on his word to make the park available for cricket, albeit, that it now appears he was deceived into giving that assurance, thinking that the football team would be able to use Catherine Hall.
However, while Mr. Grant is unlikely to get back into a stand-off over the use of the park, I believe that as the guardian of the people's interest in St. James, the parish council needs to step out on behalf of the people and halt the cricket arrange-ment unless the expected provisions are made to facilitate the football teams at Catherine Hall.
It is my understanding that it is the contention of the UDC that work cannot start at Catherine Hall before the end of the year because a contract will have to be put to tender among other excuses. I find that most unacceptable, especially since it is the same UDC which is now embroiled in the 'Scandal' - ooops - Sandal Whitehouse project, which seemed to have proceeded with reckless abandon.
I was told by the JPMC that the assurance they got about Catherine Hall came out of the office of the Prime Minister. If that is really the case, I believe Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, who I think I have enough good reasons to believe is a true friend of sports, needs to step forward and do whatever is necessary to ensure that our footballershave a place to play come December 31.
fast track
While I would not want Prime Minister Simpson Miller to run ahead of the paper work as one of her former cabinet colleagues seem to have done on a much-publicised government project, I am sure that she must be able to create ways to fast trackwhatever procedure is required to get the work started at Catherine Hall prior to the closing of Jarrett Park.
Unlike in former times when we had to sit by and watch the sporting facilities in Kingston and St. Catherine be repaired while ours continue to fall deeper and deeper into disrepair, this time around the Government can't complain about funding thanks to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has made US$11 million available to complete the facility.
Incidentally, I have heard through the grapevine that thoughts are being given to naming the Catherine Hall Stadium in honour of a former politician, who recently demitted office. I hope it is not true because, unlike deserving perso
It was with glee that I wrote in a column a few weeks ago expressing my happiness that the impasse threatening the use of Jarrett Park for next year's ICC CricketWorld Cup gamewas settled on account of promise to upgrade the new Catherine Hall Stadium to facilitate NPL teams Wadadah FC and Seba United.
I am therefore sadden, if not distressed, by recent news that there is no plan in place to start work on the Catherine Hall facility before the end of this year, which basically means that come December 31 when the park is closed for cricket preparations, the two football clubs will be left out in the cold without a venue to play home games.
decieved
Personally, I feel deceived by this sad/sick scenario, which really amounts to a case of duping the Jarrett Park Management Committee (JPMC) into believing that all is well, which caused them to turn over the park to the cricket authorities, paving the way for warm-up cricket games.
I have not spoken to businessman Adrian Grant, the chairman of the JPMC, but I am sure that he must be bitterly disappointed with the latest news out of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC). Had he known that there were no immediate plans to upgrade the Catherine Hall Stadium, I am sure he would not have granted permission to the cricket authorities to use the park.
Regrettably as it might be, I know that Mr. Grant, as a man of integrity, will not go back on his word to make the park available for cricket, albeit, that it now appears he was deceived into giving that assurance, thinking that the football team would be able to use Catherine Hall.
However, while Mr. Grant is unlikely to get back into a stand-off over the use of the park, I believe that as the guardian of the people's interest in St. James, the parish council needs to step out on behalf of the people and halt the cricket arrange-ment unless the expected provisions are made to facilitate the football teams at Catherine Hall.
It is my understanding that it is the contention of the UDC that work cannot start at Catherine Hall before the end of the year because a contract will have to be put to tender among other excuses. I find that most unacceptable, especially since it is the same UDC which is now embroiled in the 'Scandal' - ooops - Sandal Whitehouse project, which seemed to have proceeded with reckless abandon.
I was told by the JPMC that the assurance they got about Catherine Hall came out of the office of the Prime Minister. If that is really the case, I believe Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, who I think I have enough good reasons to believe is a true friend of sports, needs to step forward and do whatever is necessary to ensure that our footballershave a place to play come December 31.
fast track
While I would not want Prime Minister Simpson Miller to run ahead of the paper work as one of her former cabinet colleagues seem to have done on a much-publicised government project, I am sure that she must be able to create ways to fast trackwhatever procedure is required to get the work started at Catherine Hall prior to the closing of Jarrett Park.
Unlike in former times when we had to sit by and watch the sporting facilities in Kingston and St. Catherine be repaired while ours continue to fall deeper and deeper into disrepair, this time around the Government can't complain about funding thanks to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has made US$11 million available to complete the facility.
Incidentally, I have heard through the grapevine that thoughts are being given to naming the Catherine Hall Stadium in honour of a former politician, who recently demitted office. I hope it is not true because, unlike deserving perso
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