JamRock Sports Bar and Grill on Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston, is pictured on March 12 decorated with flags, gear and paintings of West Indies stars in anticipation of bumper crowds for the Cricket World Cup. - photos by Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

AS CRICKET World Cup 2007 approached, administrators at the Jamaica Business Development Centre (JBDC) had high expectations of strong returns.

Things, however, did not go as planned.

Colin Porter, manager of technical services at the government organisation, told The Gleaner in a recent interview that a combination of factors contributed to a generally disappointing affair.

"I would say a lot of the vendors didn't get the desired results because the market (for products) just wasn't there," Porter said. "We bore the brunt of losses, but we weren't in there to make money," he added. "Our role as a government agency was to help improve business practices."

The JBDC committed a budget of $20 million to producing merchandise for over 20 small businesses. Their wares were showcased throughout the Caribbean during the seven-week tournament.

The World Cup ended April 28 in Barbados with Australia beating Sri Lanka at the Kensington Oval for their third straight lien.

Prior to the World Cup, the JBDC staged a series of 'Bowling for Business' seminars to educate its clients on ways to effectively market their products.

World Cup logo

Leather items by Leder Mode, scented candles produced by Starfish Oils and sauces from Ruth's were just some of the products that made the cut. Each bore the official World Cup logo, sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Porter said one of the biggest setbacks for the JBDC came when the One Love Jamaica Village in New Kingston was closed just one week after it opened. What was supposed to be an extravaganza of the best in Jamaican craft and foods fizzled due to poor crowd support.

Porter said the JBDC's campaign goes on, with many of its tournament products being sold in stores like Things Jamaica.

He said despite a disappointing financial performance, there was a silver lining.

"Everyone learned how to do business in a different way. I think the experience was good in that we know how to deal with events of this magnitude," he said.

The JBDC's Colin Porter: "We bore the brunt of losses, but we weren't in there to make money."