Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Desmond McKenzie, says that the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has nothing to gain if the island failed to successfully stage its portion of the ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC 2007) scheduled to begin here next month.

The mayor told Sunday’s monthly meeting of the JLP’s Area Council One (Kingston and St Andrew constituencies) at the Police Officers’ Club on Hope Road, Kingston that in terms of the issues facing the city he has always operated on a non-political basis.

“I represent all the people of Kingston and St Andrew, whether they be JLP or PNP,” the mayor stated, in response to a comment from a political opponent last week that he was trying to sabotage the event.

McKenzie said what frightened him about the statement was that it followed two years of complaints from him, which have never been denied by anyone, about the readiness of the city to host the event.

“I have taken the decision that I have a city to lead and I can’t be bothered again about the failure of the Government to get the city ready,” said McKenzie. “It is our responsibility, as a Council, and we have taken that position. We have started to do what we can do to ensure that the city puts its best forward for the Cricket World Cup.”

The series of one-day cricket games will be held in nine Caribbean islands between March 11 and April 28.

McKenzie said that the KSAC started demolishing derelict buildings last weekend under a programme that will include repaving of some roads. He said that these activities would utilise the KSAC’s own resources.

He said that he had written to the minister of local government and environment, Dean Peart, seeking an advance of two months’ allocations from the Parochial Revenue Fund to finance the programme. He has also written the contractor-general, Greg Christie, asking him to consider allowing the Council to bypasscertain aspects of the procurement procedures in order to meet the CWC 2007 deadline.

“If I had intentions of sabotaging World Cup Cricket, I wouldn’t open my mouth in the first place,” the mayor said.

He said that CWC 2007 was not the responsibility of either the West Indies or Jamaica cricket boards, but that of the Government, who is hosting the event.

“All of us will lose if Cricket World Cup fails,” he said. “If we fail to put our best foot forward, is not Desmond McKenzie who is going to fail. All of us as Jamaicans would have to hang our heads in shame. So anybody who believes that trying to score cheap political points over the hosting of World Cup Cricket better wheel and come again.”

He urged the JLP supporters do whatever they could for the sake of the country and the game to help to create a good environment for hosting the event.