MONTEGO BAY, 31 March 2010: Delhi will put up a first-class show as host of the XIX Commonwealth Games later this year, says Commonwealth Games Federation President Mr. Mike Fennell. “Things are in great shape,” he said. “We had hoped all the venues would be ready ahead of time so we could test them but they will be completed ahead of the start of the Games,” he further added on the sidelines of the Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi’s visit to Jamaica.
Fennell was speaking at a reception hosted by the Indian community at Montego Bay. The Indian High Commissioner Mohinder Grover also attended the reception held in the honour of the baton’s halt, at the northwestern city of Jamaica.
Fennell said the perceived setbacks in the planning especially in operations and management was no different from those of other major sporting events. “India has spared no resources for the Games and everything will be first class,” he said.
Fennell said the main concerns were about the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium that will host the opening ceremony and the track and field competition as well as the Dr SPM Aquatics Complex but assured that they should be completed soon.
He also informed that a recent meeting of all 71 Chefs de Mission in Delhi was given assurances that the event would exceed all expectations. He pointed out that the Maj. Dhyan Chand National Stadium, which hosted the FIH World Cup hockey recently is one of the finest anywhere in the world and promised that the Thyagaraj Stadium where the netball event will be held will impress.
On the baton’s last day at Jamaica, H.E.Mohinder Grover hosted a gala reception at his residence where dancers and singers entertained nearly 200 guests through the evening. The guest list included prominent personalities from Jamaica like athletes, government ministers, officials, Indian nationals living in Jamaica and JOA Representatives. The Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi which ended its Jamaican sojourn today, passed through a number of historic sites and places of tourist attraction in the area. The baton also visited the symbolic GC Foster College of Physical Education.
