Jamaica's government has announced its reasons behind the decision not to bid for hosting rights in the upcoming 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, opting instead to invest JMD$100 million into the development of cricket in the country. The decision comes after a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis and consultations with stakeholders, according to a statement by Jamaica's Sports Minister, Olivia Grange.

The 2024 ICC T20 World Cup is set to be hosted by the United States and seven Caribbean countries, including St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana, with the final slated to take place at the iconic Kensington Oval in Barbados. This prestigious cricketing event set to bowl off on June 4 and conclude on June 30, has generated significant interest and excitement among cricket enthusiasts across the region and the globe.

In a statement, Minister Grange explained the rationale behind the decision: "We had been considering the cost and source of funding of nearly half a billion dollars to host a few games in Jamaica. In our cost/benefit analysis with stakeholders, we also considered the economic, social, and development impact, including the potential tourism-related impact and attendant industry benefits using year-over-year economic modeling, reconciled against current tourism performance."

The decision to forego hosting rights was not taken lightly, as the prospect of hosting international cricket matches at renowned venues like Sabina Park in Kingston held immense allure. However, Minister Grange emphasized the need for responsible governance and sustainable development in the sporting arena. She stated, "I could not just follow my heart. As a responsible Minister, I am obliged to look beyond immediate gratification to sustainable sport development that will yield immeasurable rewards at all levels in Jamaica. I had to pay attention to the cost/benefit analysis, especially in a circumstance of limited resources."

Jamaica's commitment to cricket development remains unwavering. Minister Grange announced a significant investment of JMD$100 million in youth cricket and cricket in schools over the next five years. This initiative is in addition to the government's ambitious plan for the rehabilitation and development of Jamaica's sports infrastructure.

While the decision has garnered support for its long-term vision, it has also sparked consternation among stakeholders who view it as a missed opportunity for the country. Opposition leader Mark Golding lamented to the Jamaica Observer, "It is hard to accept that an international tournament of this stature is being played in the Caribbean, and not a single match is being held here at our iconic Sabina Park."

Dr. Donovan Bennett, a Cricket West Indies board director, expressed skepticism about the government's intentions, stating, "It's quite obvious that the Government had no intention of bidding because this thing has been going on for about 10 or 12 weeks."

Dr. Akshai Mansingh, the dean of the Faculty of Sport at The University of the West Indies, echoed the sentiment that Jamaica missed a unique opportunity, saying, "By not bidding, the Jamaican Government spurned the chance to not only boost the economy and the tourism sector but also to upgrade infrastructure."

 

UWI FC has opted out of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) ahead of the new season, Dean of the Faculty of Sports, Dr Akshai Mansingh, confirmed earlier this week.

With the competition scheduled to get underway this weekend, Mansingh pointed to a number of issues relating to the timing of the league and the availability of members of the UWI team.  The players are scholarship athletes and are currently on summer holidays.

 Mansingh also pointed out that the extended delay to the start of the league had severely impacted the university financially.  As part of its preparation, the team housed athletes on campus, allowing for small group training in order to build team chemistry and strengthen relationships with the coaches.

However, the administrator went on to explain that the university follows strict guidelines regarding the semester system, and unfortunately, they have now come to the end of the academic year.

Mansingh further clarified that the university’s objectives were different from the remaining teams in the Premier League.  He said that the priority of the University is to offer students the best opportunity to excel at sports and in so doing represent the UWI.  Members of the team must be university students.

Mansingh insisted that the university would prefer to play in the JPL but would not sacrifice the principles of being a university team in order to be one with just its name.  The UWI FC were promoted to the league in 2015 and have since done well for themselves.

Chairman of the Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL), Chris Williams, said that sincere efforts were made to ensure that UWI had remained a part of the JPL.

 


 

 

Dr. Akshai Mansingh, a member of Cricket West Indies (CWI) Medical Advisory Committee, has cautioned that unvaccinated players could eventually find it difficult to take part in leagues around the world as more of the global population gets vaccinated.

At current, there are no cricket leagues around the world that require players to be vaccinated in order to take part in a competition.  However, with the risk and expense attached to the current model of staging tournaments in a biosecure environment and increasing evidence of the positive effect of vaccination on preventing the spread of the virus, there is no guarantee things will stay the same.

At current, a few members of the squad have taken the vaccine, but some remain hesitant at this point in time.  Mansingh pointed out that it was the duty of the medical team to educate the players on the risks and benefits of getting vaccinated but, at the end of the day, the freedom to make individual choices had to be respected.  He speculated, however, that the choices could plausibly, in the near future, affect an individual’s ability to earn income.

“We live in a free society, and we have to respect the decisions of people.  But there may be leagues around the world who say if you are not vaccinated then we will not take you and that is when personal decisions will have to made,” Mansingh told the Mason and Guest Radio program.

“We have erred on the side of freedom of choice, etc., etc. and we will entertain the discussion but there are leagues that are going to pop up, which will not entertain the discussion,” he added.

“We allowed people to opt-out of bubbles that we knew were safe and some of the people that opted out at that time made a completely different choice when they went to India, which was the second most infected country in the world.”

 

 

 

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