Ground Broken for Sabina Park Upgrade

Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has described the government’s decision to partner in the renovation and expansion of the Sabina Park cricket ground as a necessary and timely investment in what was not only a sector of traditional importance but one that would allow Jamaica to take advantage of the opportunities that are to be generated from the staging of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament in 2007.
Speaking at the contract signing and ground breaking ceremony at Sabina Park on Friday (Jan. 21), Mr. Patterson said the US$18 Million allocation required to renovate the facility comes at a time when there was a fierce competition for scarce resources in public revenue.
He said the investment was therefore being secured by a 99 year lease agreement between the government and the Kingston Cricket Club for use of the grounds, while a second lease agreement between the government and the Jamaica Cricket Association would provide for the generation of revenue earning activities that would ensure the repayment of the money which is being loaned for the expansion.
Mr. Patterson said earnings from those activities would also be used to carry out a programme of continued maintenance of the renovated facility.
Noting that there was a direct link between the expansion of Sabina Park and the redevelopment of the City of Kingston, Mr. Patterson said that in the spirit of partnership that now exists, every effort was being made to ensure that Sabina Park is delivered in the proper state for 2007 and that the City of Kingston was restored to its rightful place as a jewel in the Caribbean. He said the activities to be generated from the staging of the Cricket World Cup would not only benefit persons involved in the game, but that it would also result in a substantial development of communities adjacent to Sabina Park.
The renovation and expansion of Sabina Park will be implemented in two phases and is scheduled to be completed in May 2006. The work will be undertaken by contractor Ashtrom Building Systems Limited with overall management by a sub-committee of Jamaica Cricket 2007 Limited.