Back in March, the International Cricket Council (ICC) expressed concern over the negative impact which a Caribbean-wide cement shortage was having on stadia-construction works presently underway in the West Indies as some 13 or so venues worked feverishly to be ready in time for Cricket World Cup 2007 scheduled to start in March next year.
Jamaica and Guyana were reported to have been hardest hit by the shortage. Mr. Don Lockerbie, the ICC's Venue Development Director for Cricket World Cup 2007 while describing the situation as a “let down” sounded the optimistic note that preparations being, in his words, “so far along” he did not expect the challenge to be insurmountable.
On April 13 Cricinfo reported that Jamaica was behind schedule and quoted ASHTROM, the contractors engaged on the stadium-construction works there as admitting that Sabina Park's North Stand which is expected to house the players, officials and television gantries would not be ready in time for the West Indies-Pakistan match scheduled for March 13, 2007.
In what appeared to be an attempt to put a brave face on things, the Jamaican authorities insisted that "the schedule is showing a completion date of February 2007”.
ASHTROM went on to hint darkly that should Jamaica host the West Indies' ONE Day International (ODI) and test match against India scheduled for later this month and the end of June respectively this would jeopardise the February deadline.
This prompted a public expression of JC2007's “very low level of confidence” in what it described as ASHTROM's “commitment” to complete the project.
Meanwhile, Chris Dehring, the Chief Executive Officer of the tournament, has revealed that a revised plan for Sabina Park has now been submitted which, he says, will ensure that the works are completed on time. Speaking to journalists in Grenada last month he reported that Warner Park in St. Kitts was almost finished, while work on the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua and Barbuda was ahead of schedule. He made similar remarks concerning Guyana's Providence Stadium.
Initial concern as to whether Grenada, which was devastated by Hurricane Ivan, would have been ready with its stadium on time, has largely been allayed by the assurances given by that country that their 17,000 seat stadium is being funded and constructed by the People's Republic of China, which prides itself on a well-earned reputation of delivering projects ahead of time.
Today, Don Lockerbie was full of praise for Saint Lucia's state of readiness. He declared that he was “very, very pleased” with the progress of refurbishment works which are ongoing at the state-of-the-art Beausejour Cricket Ground in Gros Islet.
It appears that, in the words of Chris Dehring, it's “full steam ahead” for Cricket World Cup 2007 after all.
Dexter Theodore
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