THE Portmore Municipal Council is doubtful that its beautification projects will be completed by the March 11 deadline, in time for the start of the International Cricket Council’s World Cricket Cup.

Portmore Mayor George Lee, giving an update on the progress of the projects at the council’s general meeting last Wednesday, said the projects had been identified and approved but said he couldn’t say when they would begin.

“They will not be ready for Cricket World Cup, so what we’ll be trying to do is to make certain that at least the roundabouts are done and that we clean the area. The major programme will have to commence some other time,” Lee told the Observer after the meeting.

Lee said he believed the reason for the delay was insufficient funds because the government was readjusting completion deadlines for beautification projects all over the island.

However, Local Government Minister Dean Peart told the Observer by telephone that the beautification projects had already been planned and that the international cricket tournament was only coincidental.

“We are going to make certain that Portmore is clean and we think that if Portmore is clean, people can come and enjoy themselves,” said the minister.

The clean-up, the mayor said, would be conducted in collaboration with the National Works Agency.

In the meantime, the mayor said the council would be focussing its energies into the Portmore Week celebrations which have been brought forward from the usual April observance to meet the start of Cricket World Cup 2007 in March.

“We are putting our efforts right now into Portmore Week to make certain we have a good entertainment package,” Lee said.

The line-up of activities for the celebrations, which will begin on Sunday March 11 with a church service at the Portmore United church, will include the opening of parks in the community, an educational rally, a celebrity cricket match, community expositions and entertainment nights featuring jazz, dancehall and oldies music.