YEARS of gloom and a virtual eternity of being on the outside looking in appear to be at an end.

Sabina Park, one of Caribbean cricket’s favourite venues, is finally on the cusp of having floodlights installed to facilitate the playing of night matches.

The Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) President Lyndel Wright confirmed that a partnership has been brokered with Consolidated Energy Partners, which will act as supplier and contractor for the project.

“Sabina Park Holdings has entered into an agreement with Consolidated Energy Partners, a member of the Genco Group Of Companies, for the provisioning of floodlights… (at) Sabina Park,” he told the Jamaica Observer in a telephone interview yesterday.

“It was topical whether or not Jamaica would have lights. Now we can say lights certainly are coming — and coming to a value of about US$2.1 million,” Wright added.

Sabina Park Holdings, consisting of shareholders from the JCA and the Kingston Cricket Club, is the body in charge of the maintenance and management of the venue’s facilities. The group was set up in preparation for the region’s staging of the 2007 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup.

Nigel Logan, a director of Sabina Park Holdings and the chairman of its lights committee, said the implementation will be financed by Consolidated Energy Partners and predicted that the upgrade, courtesy of GE Lighting, will be of the highest standards.

“The funding… it’s going to be financed by the supplier. The lights will be GE lights and they will be very good… (they will be) excellent for cricket and have definition similar to what you see in the IPL (Indian Premier League)…(it will be of) first-rate quality,” Logan said.

Wright, who has been head of the local association since 2011, thanked “the Government for all its support in all ways, shape and form to make this a reality”.

Though the Government disbursed over US$100 million in Jamaica’s part in hosting the World Cup, six years on it is still heavily criticised because the country remains the only leading Caribbean cricketing nation without the requisite infrastructure for hosting international night matches.

Both Wright and Logan declined to comment on what role exactly the current administration has or will play in the lighting process, but the Observer understands that talks have been taking place.

After several attempts yesterday to telephone Minister with Responsibility for Sport Natalie Neita-Headley, the Observer did make contact via text message. Using the text method, she said she would return the call, but up to press time none was received.

The country is currently a franchise holder for the inaugural Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 (T20) tournament — set for July 29 to August 26 this year — but runs the risk of losing that status if artificial lights are not put in.

The news of the light installation on the eve of the CPL provides some hope for what is a frustrating issue in cricket circles.

Speaking in an upbeat tone, the JCA president seemed to express relief and thanked the heavens for providing a “positive step forward” for Jamaica’s cricket.

“We have been trying for a long time and certainly it looks like we are now seeing the light… we give God thanks for that. We must say how happy we are that this has now materialised at an appropriate time with the Caribbean Premier League just at the doorstep of the Caribbean. I think this certainly is a positive step forward for us. Jamaica have been deprived of international, and even regional cricket because we don’t have lights,” Wright said.

Logan, who is also the JCA treasurer, said no start date could be given for the project until a “work schedule” is provided by the contractor, but he did say that the lights should be ready by August 5. He explained that though the CPL train should be in motion by then, Sabina Park would not host their opening match until days later.

A source, who wished to remain unnamed, said a challenge for the contractors could be the acquisition of special material, including the poles on which the lights will be placed, within a limited time frame.

Logan, while choosing to avoid explaining the specifics regarding repayment to the supplier, said that they will be looking to various avenues for generating additional revenue when the upgrade is completed.

“It (the installation) will be significant because that will allow us to stage day/night matches and also nightly entertainment at the facility and we would be in a position to also bid for other sporting events,” he said. The former senior public sector executive added that money will be generated from leasing of boxes and a proposed solar project which would have the capacity to suppy energy to the Jamaica Public Service grid.