By Lloyd Noel

It is now less than one year to the start of the biggest sporting event
(CWC 2007) ever to be held in the Caribbean, under the umbrella management or regional control of CARICOM, (at least the grounds in the region) and also less than one year before the first match is to be played in the “Super Eight” series of Six Matches in Grenada.

And while some of us, who have been following the build-up to Cricket World Cup 2007 in the Caribbean, have been raising issues, making pertinent comments, and asking relevant questions about the venture as a whole - the major players with the general exercise of authority, and who had taken the decision to host the event, viz. - the CARICOM Heads of Government, seem not to have done so in terms of straight economic and financial analysis.

Those Heads of Government had taken the decision on the basis of the additional future benefits expected to come to the region, as a result of
hosting the events, and not from any direct revenue to compensate for the actual level of expenditure. But even after the reality must have began to dawn on those “Heads” - the only one I have heard admitting the fallacy of the basis for the decision, and warning his colleagues of the financial risk and economic pit-falls, that would result from the irresponsible gamble with the people’s already meager resources - is Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonzalves of St. Vincent and The Grenadines.

And recently, under pressure from the Opposition M.Ps in the Jamaican Parliament - the Finance Minister, Mr. Omar Davies, had to admit and sound
his belated mis-givings about the wisdom of the financial burdens his Country, as well as others in the region, had undertaken when the “Heads”
agreed to host the games.

In the case of Jamaica, the estimated expenses come to about $100 Million (U.S.), and in Barbados the figure is about the same for that Country’s
expenditure to be Cricket World Cup ready for 2007.
When it is remembered that in the case of both those Countries, their infrastructure from existing Stadiums, to Health facilities, to Hotels
accommodation, among other necessities - are way ahead of ours in Grenada, it leaves one to wonder what is in the financial melting pot for our people, who are already over-burdened with financial woes and other social ills of every kind.

It also leaves us in these Isles in the dark, about what sum or how much to the nearest Million, we are putting ourselves in debt for to get the pieces in place in time. I do not know whether the Opposition M.Ps in Parliament would dare ask the question their counterparts were asking in Jamaica. Because our Government being so narrow and petty minded about such necessary but probing questions concerning the people’s business - would not hesitate to label them as being against the CWC 2007, and the said Government getting publicity mileage from the occasion. So we may never know the actual costs being incurred on our behalf, although we will have to pay the debt or suffer the consequences.

In the Barbados Sunday Sun Newspaper of the 16th April, the front page dealt with a follow up warning signal from the World’s leading Credit rating firm on Wall Street in the U.S.A. “Standard and Poor’s.” The Chairman of the Sovereign Ratings Committee, a Mr. John Chambers, linked Grenada to Barbados when stating that those sporting investments bring heavy financial burdens on the public purse, but do not bring in accrued benefits from those investment over any period of time.

While, admittedly, improvements at Airports, Hospitals and Roads for example - will redound to the benefit of the people after the games. The
bigger picture, when considering development priorities, must be taken into consideration - when it boils down to how and when and where scarce
resources are spent, for the interest and welfare of the people as a whole.In our case in Grenada, we do not have the Hotel facilities to even
accommodate visitors to the World Cup next year - assuming everything else falls into place.

So whatever make-shift facilities the powers-that-be may come up with at this ninety-ninth hour of the day - those will disappear soon after the
games are over, and there will be nothing in place to attract prospective returning visitors back to the Islands as tourists - unlike Jamaica and
Barbados. What is even more alarming - is that in the madness to get things in place around the Stadium in St. George’s, as well as at the two practice grounds at La Sagesse in St. David, and at Progress Park in St. Andrew - other important and very pressing needs are being pushed unto the back burners, because the funds are not available to meet all those needs.

We have been hearing about the priority programme, to put some two or three thousand young people into some form of employment for some months now. Many have been chosen and put through some basic programme, but after four months into the year they are all still waiting on promises. And with the ever-increasing break-down of Law and Order at one level, as well as the trend by some young people to ignore the social niceties that once prevailed as a matter of course in our Towns and Villages - the picture looks bleak indeed, and talking and scolding alone by whoever will not solve the growing problems.

Those idle hands and idle minds and healthy bodies, must be put into some form of useful occupation and production with some urgency - and waiting on pie-in-the-sky returns from CWC 2007, as the solution to that over-whelming social disease, is a dream that will never see the light of day, because it is not at all realistic but merely showmanship. We have been hearing of all that needs to be done, and by what time to meet certain deadlines - but so far nothing has been said about where the funds are coming from to pay those needs.

A month or two ago, additional borrowing facilities were applied for in a Sitting in Parliament and they were approved by the House - although there were some questions about the times of notice and sufficient disclosures. I
do not believe the matter was probed into enough, nor adequate follow-up investigation was done - or if that was done, no information to the public
has been forthcoming.

Statements are coming from all over the place, and Grenada is being mentioned in every case, about the financial burdens attached to CWC 2007
and the very low returns that can be realised therefrom. But neither the powers-that-be, nor the official Opposition in Parliament, is saying anything to the people about what is in store for us in the Spice Isles. That is not good enough; and to wait to see the outcome and then be wise after the event - is just as bad, if not many times worse. But while all the above are taking place, behind the curtain as it were - we had two transparent occurrences in the Town of Gouyave during the past week, and both deserve mention in my view.

The first was the Celebration of the One Hundred (100) Birth-date (19th April, 2006) of Mr. Lionel Ferguson, the Tin Smith of Tranquil Lane (behind the Market) in Gouyave. “Fergie,” as he is popularly known, has been at the Service of the parish of St. John in particular, all his life; and he has also served the people of the Tri-Island State for many Decades as a pipe-fitter and repairer of anything made from Tin. And at One Hundred years of age, he can still be seen walking about the Town and pleasantly greeting young and old alike - with a courteous bow of the head, or a respectful salute if he cannot reach out to make a handshake.

Born in the very street, on the same spot where he still lives - he had been making “Tin-everything” from his Teenage years and lighting the Street lamps in Gouyave for years and years. But his greatest joy has been his Decades of Service to his Beloved Anglican Church, as the “Sexton” thereof in the Town of Gouyave. He still remembers nearly all the names of those Priests he had served over the years, and some of the many stories and incidents he shared with them.

It was very fitting, therefore, that the same Church was packed to over-flowing with many from his congregation, as well as dignitaries from an Ex-Governor General (Sir Paul Scoon), to the Prime Minister and many Ministers of Government, and the Leader of the Opposition - to wish him a Happy Birthday and still longer life. And in a memorable gesture, at the reception that followed the Church Service, the Government - through the M.P. for St. John, Hon. Claris Charles - changed “Fergie’s address” for the rest of his life, and way beyond. He no longer lives on Tranquil Lane. As from the next day he now lives on “Ferguson Lane” - the same Street named after him, in appreciation for his life-long services to the Town of Gouyave.

The next incident in Gouyave, two days after Fergie’s celebration, was the official opening of the “Gouyave Fish Friday Festival” on Friday 21st April.The weekly “Fish eating and relaxing Street Lime” as been on-going since June 2005 - but after a two weeks break, for the pre-Easter Religious
Celebrations, the Festival was Officially opened last week Friday. A large crowd was in attendance, as well as the Prime Minister and some Ministers of Government and other dignitaries.“Gouyave Fish Friday” is now Public knowledge Worldwide over the Internet, and through Tourist day-trippers who have been coming to Gouyave when Boats are in Town, and fully enjoying the lime.

The success of that venture - the brainchild of Mr. George Vincent of Gouyave, and fully supported by the Board of Directors from various groups
in the parish, has been beyond their initial expectations. But it is the kind of venture that is worthy of support and emulation Island wide. It is already being mentioned as the type of visitors attraction - after CWC 2007 games at the Stadium, all else being equal.

We need a lot more such attractions to help sell our “Tourist package” in an effort to bring back the visitors - after the World Cup is over.
They will not pay back the heavy investments, but at least will help towards that end in the years ahead.