Grenada PM hails Jack’s help

FIFA Vice President Jack Warner has vowed to assist Grenada in restoring their facilities for the hosting of matches in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007. Warner toured Grenada on Sunday and visited the National Stadium Complex which was severely damaged by Hurricane Ivan two weeks ago. The venue, which houses the island’s main football, cricket and track and field facilities, suffered major roof damage while the manual and electronic scoreboards were also destroyed. Warner met with Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell and members of Grenada’s Football Association. And following a request by Mitchell to assist in restoration of the cricket stadium, Warner agreed to provide a fund worth $5 million. “For me what is important is that I have now had an on the spot visit and there is no way I could have described this to my colleagues and more so FIFA if I hadn’t seen it myself.

“The National Stadium Complex is a total disaster. I must confess that it couldn’t just be the hurricane that caused it but also something had to be wrong with the construction,” said Warner. “I’ve never before seen something like this in my life,” Warner said while at the stadium. “I hope that my footage from here can help to influence my colleagues in FIFA to give as much as they can to restore the football and also to take care of the people at this stage,” he said. During the meeting at Gouyave, Mitchell not only pleaded for Warner’s assistance but also sent a message for those who assisted from Trinidad and Tobago “We must have that World Cup here. If we don’t have this then we would have lost even more. We have to revive the Grenadian spirit and how do we do this? We can do it by giving the people something to work towards. “That World Cup here in 2007 can be the turn around for us. It can be the shining moment for us,” Mitchell said.

“Jack, your presence here is highly significant. We cannot talk enough about the support of the people of Trinidad and Tobago. Both Government and the Opposi-tion, and the people have called and offered tremendous support. They have given in many areas. Even the little children have taken from their piggy banks to give to us. We really appreciate this and we want to say to people like you Jack, the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader that we really appreciate what you are doing for us and it shows that we have good brothers and sisters,” Mitchell told Warner. The CONCACAF President pro-mised Mitchell that he would contribute to ensure that Grenada do host matches during the cricket World Cup. “I will assist in whatever way I can. No other country, including Trinidad and Tobago, should be made to benefit from the misfortune that has occurred in Grenada. No country must now get what they did not in the first place and it is only right that the people of Grenada can witness and benefit from the staging of the matches here,” Warner said.

The Chinese Government has offered to assist in the rebuilding of the venue and Warner is helping in other areas. He will have twelve electricity generators delivered to the island later this month which will be used by executive members of the Football Association and other Government and charitable organisations while food and medical supplies will be delivered every two weeks. On meeting with GFA officials, it was noted that there are no organisations and NGOs such as Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs, Boy Scouts or Girl Guides Associations and other such groups that provide a high level of support towards the social development of the country. Football, according to the meeting, can therefore be the vehicle for much needed social transformation at this time with some 32 clubs spread over seven parishes across the island, Warner noted in a report to FIFA President Sepp Blatter. Warner left for Zurich yesterday and will present the Grenada report later this week. He also plans to visit Jamaica and Cayman Islands in the near future.