Preparations for World Cup
published: Wednesday | January 24, 2007


Delroy Chuck

Within weeks, Jamaica will start to host the Cricket World Cup, starting in early March with the opening ceremony in Trelawny and leading up to the semi-final in late April. Apart from the organisers, who knows what is going on, and how can ordinary Jamaicans make this event a memorable one? The Government and the organisers have simply kept preparations secret and, perhaps, expect everyone to just join in at the last moment.

I am a cricket fan and attend matches played by the West Indies at Sabina Park. At the present time, I feel no enthusiasm about the practice, preliminary or semi-final matches that will be played here. I have not even taken the trouble to find out the prices to attend the matches, as it is unlikely I will attend any.

I feel a sense of despair for Jamaica and this golden opportunity to showcase our towns, resorts and tourism products. In truth, if we had any shame, it would be best to hide the visitors away from the dirt, decay and decline virtually everywhere.

Beautiful place

Jamaica is a beautiful place, but our people have made it into a total mess. Most of the gullies look like Riverton city dump, as residents use them to dispose of their garbage, trash and junk. Uncollected garbage can be seen everywhere. NSWMA lacks the vehicles and resources to properly clean up the cities and towns. There is no sense of pride and no one in government seems to care if our cities and towns are dirty and full of grime and filth. Is this what we really want to show visitors to Cricket World Cup?

Then, if our visitors rent a car or even get a drive and move around the residential areas of Jamaica, what will they encounter? Many will get whiplash from driving on pothole roads and dirt tracks that they will only encounter if they were on a safari or in some remote jungle. Our residential roads have been neglected, in spite of the property taxes, GCT, road licences and other taxes that residents pay annually. So, even while the main roads may be fixed, visitors must be kept away from the inner cities or from most residential communities, to avoid showcasing the disintegration of our country.

And, God forbid if any of our visitors should get sick or need to attend any of our public hospitals for medical treatment. First, they will have to wait to pay a registration fee and, if they need an x-ray, get one privately before the doctors can attend to them. Secondly, they will wonder if any proper treatment can be obtained in an environment of scarcity, overcrowding and decay that are the hallmarks of our public hospitals. In fact, if visitors simply walk around Falmouth and view the police station, hospital, schools, etc., would they ever want to return to Jamaica?

Even while we hope to welcome thousands of visitors, where would we put them if they come? If for the semi-final here in Jamaica, India and Australia were playing and 10,000 visitors descended on Kingston, what would we do? Where would they stay?

No plans for excess visitors

I am yet to hear of any plans to accommodate an overflow of visitors, so perhaps we are hoping that only a few thousand visitors will come to Kingston, which would not be a bad thing as less people would share our nation's shame and despair.

To be fair, attempts are being made to get people excited and involved through advertisements and sound bites, but where is the $635 million that the Prime Minister promised to spend to clean up our cities and towns? Is it being kept, as usual, for the genetically connected or the favoured few to further enrich themselves? Jamaica can do better. It is time we hear from the Government what is being done to save Jamaica from the disgrace of exposing our dirty cities and towns from those who may visit our shores.

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If you've never stared off in the distance, then your life is a shame...

Sounds all to familiar Bringing back some memories. It's very sad and wish that there waas more pride or at least more interest from the government ot help and support the ones that do care!!!

I do hope that somehow the World Cup turns into a successful one or at least some good comes out of it for the community/Country.

Is anyone on ETJ attending?

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ARMOR of STEEL

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That's a fabulous article in spite of its negative undertones. I think its eye-opening for those who are not savvy to what the rural Jamaica looks like. One of those things that NEEDS to be said but no one wants to say it.

So I wonder what he hoped to accomplish by writing that article? Will anything ever be done about it?

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Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.

two words:

soon come

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I know you said
Why can't you just get over it,
It turned my whole world around
and i kind of like it
I made by bed, and I sleep like a baby,
With no regrets and I don't mind saying,
It's a sad sad story
That a mother will teach her daughter
that she ought to hate a perfect stranger.
And how in the world
Can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Saying that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over

It was in today's Gleaner in the comments section. If you have been reading the Gleaner regularly, you would see this is a common theme lately. Everyone worried about cleaning up for the World Cup.......talking, talking, talking.....very little being done by the government.

I think he hoped to spur the government to take the money they have been collecting all along and do something about it besides line their own pockets.

I think he knows quite a lot about what he is talking about, Sexy.

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If you've never stared off in the distance, then your life is a shame...

That is true ... that's why Jamaicans need to stop giving their money to the government. It can happen.

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The people need to find a way to change the government.

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If you've never stared off in the distance, then your life is a shame...

its sad but the same as anywhere.....DC is suppsed to be one of the most powerfull cities n the world.....Monuments, white house, sooo msny memeorials...but within a five mile radius....you got the ghetto...one that you wll neva see... alla that money for hte city goes to capitol hill whre the rich folk live but down the street, whrere they steer the tourist free..is a hell hole...same thing everywhere.

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I think you are very smart, have lots of enthusiasm, and even more energy......I honestly believe you could if you put your mind to it, Sexy. You go, girl.

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If you've never stared off in the distance, then your life is a shame...

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girl, it is like that here in the us, we complain and complain , but when asked did they vote, the quick to tell you they don't vote--WTF??, how crazy is that....lol

Yes, voter apathy lets morons like GW get into power.

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major co-signage on dat bra

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I know you said
Why can't you just get over it,
It turned my whole world around
and i kind of like it
I made by bed, and I sleep like a baby,
With no regrets and I don't mind saying,
It's a sad sad story
That a mother will teach her daughter
that she ought to hate a perfect stranger.
And how in the world
Can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Saying that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over