This 2018 photo shows the previous scoreboard at Sabina Park.
February 22, 2025
The need to consistently upgrade and better protect our sports facilities
This newspaper’s extreme distress at the failure of the Jamaican Government to accept hosting rights for last year’s ICC Twenty20 (T20) Cricket World Cup is a matter of record.
Readers may recall that the reason given by Government at the time was that the $450 million costing to upgrade Jamaica’s historic and storied headquarters of cricket, Sabina Park, was considered too high.
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By not hosting the Cricket World Cup, Jamaica missed an opportunity to honour and be true to its immense contribution to West Indies and global cricket, dating back well in excess of 100 years.
That contribution dates back long prior to international cricket’s embrace of the English-speaking Caribbean as a global force in the late 1920s.
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At a purely commercial level, Jamaica, by declining T20 World Cup hosting rights, missed the opportunity — grabbed by regional partners — to show off its famed tourism product to a rapidly growing, cricket-watching, global television audience.
That error was soon highlighted when adverse travel advisories — focused not just on crime but also on Jamaica’s health system — seemingly triggered a downturn in arrivals.
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Also, the decision not to host World Cup matches meant much-needed upgrades at Sabina Park were delayed.
In the latter respect, we note that the Government is now moving with haste to instal modern lights at the historic ground ahead of a visit by Australia for a day/night Test match and two T20 games in mid-year.
A gift from the Indian Government of a modern digital scoreboard should also be in place.
Much will still remain to be done at Sabina after the Australians have come and gone but a modern lighting system and scoreboard represent a solid start.
We note as well that the Government is moving with sudden haste to completely resurface, rather than merely repairing, the worn and damaged running track at the National Stadium.
The upgrade is coming ahead of the high-profile, inaugural Michael Johnson-led Grand Slam Track series — part of which will be hosted in Kingston in April — and also prior to next month’s Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships.
We suspect that pressure from the Grand Slam Track series organisers is the main reason the Government is executing the comprehensive resurfacing project at this time.
In respect of the Grand Slam series — and presumably wider sport as well — we are pleased by the Government’s current recognition of the exposure value for Jamaica’s tourism.
Said Sports Minister Ms Olivia Grange in an interview with this newspaper last month: “…Our sports, culture, and entertainment are at the centre of Brand Jamaica, so it [Grand Slam Track series] is going to open up Jamaica to the world … [and] more visitors. And, as we prepare to grow and expand our facilities, we expect to have more events…”
Reports say the National Stadium’s running track and football field have been repeatedly damaged by mega entertainment/stage show events such as Vybz Kartel’s Freedom Street Show in late December.
Ms Grange told this newspaper last month that “additional safeguards” are being put in place to protect stadium facilities; and further that event promoters could explore available and suitable alternative venues.
An obvious question for the Government is why not proactively insist that, as much as is possible, such alternative venues be used?
