Hardley Lewin is in dialogue with the minister of sports, Prime Minister Hon Portia Simpson Miller, following the recent ultimatum issued by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) to the Jamaica Rugby Union (JRU), the [Jamaican] Sunday Observer understands.


Lewin, the Jamaica Defence Force chief-of-staff who is the president of the JRU as an elected figurehead, is in discussion with the Prime Minister to resolve the matter, among other things relating to the sport.


And in a follow-up to the recent conflict that was highlighted by the local media recently, sufficient information was not available at this time, says JRU public relations officer, Rohan Stewart.

"I have no information to comment on where that is concerned because the president of the Jamaica Rugby Union, Rear Admiral Lewin, who is also the chief-of-staff of the Jamaica Defence Force... is dealing with the matter at his level with the Prime Minister, so I haven't got a feedback from him as yet which I can disclose to the media,"

Stewart stated.


But the JRU PR officer said he is anticipating further updates by the end of this month on the issue.


Earlier in July, the UDC sent a letter to the JRU, giving them until July 31 to desist from using the Caymanas Estate, which the local rugby body had leased but are in arrears to the tune of "some $800,000".

Follow up:

As it stands, the JRU is without a permanent field to host a large percentage of its matches at all levels, and are just a month away from hosting the second staging of the Caribbean Women's Rugby Championships.


This will be the first time Jamaica will be hosting the tournament, which is slated to run from September 28 to October 2 at the Mona Bowl, University of the West Indies.
The national teams currently use the grounds at the JDF.

With regard to next month's championships, Stewart said Jamaica will not get any money for hosting it and "are in need of a lot of financial assistance" to make the event successful.


The chance of hosting what potentially could be a memorable championships became harder after the International Rugby Board ( IRB ) informed the regional board that only £40,000 was available.

"The host team is decided by the West Indies Rugby Board executive... whoever wishes to host it will have to provide the necessaries to host it, because there is not sufficient funds at this time,"

Stewart confirmed.

"Jamaica decided to take up that task (after no championships were held in 2004 and 2005) to see how best we could make it happen, just for the development of the sport,"

he added.
The cost for renting the grounds at the UWI Bowl hovers around $200,000, while hosting the event is estimated at a million Jamaican dollars, Stewart added.



Source: Jamaica Observer