By LeVaughn Flynn , Staff ReporterPRIME Minister P.J. Patterson announced yesterday that contrary to recent reports, no downgrading of plans for Sabina Park would be taking place in preparing the ground to host ICC CWC 2007 WI matches.
Instead, he said that the infrastructural plans would be changed as they were planning around winning the Black Package, but were awarded the Yellow Package.
"There's no question of downgrading Sabina Park," he affirmed, "what we have to do is prepare Sabina Park for preliminary matches and one semi-final match. Those requirements are distinctly different from what we would have been asked to undertake were we awarded the Black Package."
At a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday, Patterson also announced that Greenfield in Trelawny would be a part of CWC 2007 and will be developed to host the opening ceremony and warm-up matches.
These decisions developed out of a meeting the Prime Minister had yesterday morning with members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and representatives of ministries and agents of government "to decide on how we implement the programmes that have been entrusted to us".
The International Cricket Council stipulates that the opening match venue and the opening ceremony venue have to be different.
DISADVANTAGES
The National Stadium was proposed as a possible venue for the opening ceremony but Patterson said that "that had certain disadvantages".
"We would have to make adjustments to the Stadium that were for one occasion only and while there were adjustments being made we would have to close the Stadium for some time," he said.
"While we did not get the Black Package for which we put in bids, we are quite satisfied at the award of the Yellow Package and that Jamaica has been selected to host the prestigious opening ceremony," the Prime Minister added.
Instead of providing seats for 25,000-30,000 patrons, only 20,000-25,000 seats must be available for the semi-final.
"With the changes in the infrastructural plans it will cost less to refurbish Sabina Park," he said.
Citing the benefits of having two world class facilities, the Prime Minister said that the country will benefit in the long run.
"Upgrading Sabina Park is an integral part of redeveloping Kingston's inner city. We not only want to develop Sabina Park but the communities around it," he said.
"We want facilities that in the long term will have the kind of usage and generate the level of income that will make these facilities self sufficient and be suitably maintained without charge to the government," he added of the proposed Greenfield Stadium.
