NO lighting at local cricket facilities casts a “gloomy” picture for the growth and development of the sport, according to Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) honorary secretary Fritz Harris.

Other major territories in the Caribbean have artificial lights installed, which give them the advantage of hosting night cricket matches, but Jamaica have long been overlooked due to lack of lighting at either the Sabina Park ground or the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium.

Harris conceded the country will continue to be left behind without the much-needed infrastructure, while stressing a remedy is paramount on the JCA’s agenda.

“If the coming months pass without us getting lights we are looking at a pretty gloomy future,” he told the Jamaica Observer recently.

“Just about every effort is being made and there are signs of progress and we really don’t want to miss the chance,” Harris added.

While estimating that preliminary costs to put in permanent lights could be as much as US$1.5m, Harris explained that the local cricket body and Sabina Park Holdings have been working closely together.

“This (move to have lights) is being fronted by Sabina Park Holdings and it is a part of the development plan. Proposals are in and both the JCA and Sabina Holdings are discussing a way forward and you could say the parties are working hand in hand,” he said.

The region braces for the inaugural Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 (T20) tournament later this year and a major West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) requirement for staging matches is the availability of proper lighting.

Harris was reluctant to put a time frame on when work would start and end on the project, but with the 2013 edition of the CPL likely to be held in the summer, it is expected that a relatively swift operation is on the cards.

“We really don’t want to put a time on it (implementation of the lights). The funds are to be secured and we are looking to getting it done soon,” he said.

Sabina Park, which was among a list of international venues renovated for the hosting of the 2007 ICC World Cup, remains the only major one without lights to facilitate night games, despite talks of its implementation over the years.

The Trelawny Stadium located in Florence Hall, on Jamaica’s north coast, has also suffered from unfulfilled promises of light installation.

Managed for the time being by the state-run Independence Park Limited (IPL), which also has responsibility for the National Stadium complex, the Trelawny venue has hardly been used since the World Cup.

The JCA secretary hinted some frustration at seeing Jamaica miss out on hosting international tours due to the current situation and insisted that the association is now left with “no choice”.

“The process has been slower than we would want and we know that without lights our ambition will come to waste. We are already at a disadvantage because the shorter (T20) version of cricket is the financial spinner and not having the lights mean we can’t host those matches at nights. We have no choice but to get it,” Harris reasoned.

The lack of night cricket in Jamaica has also been used by coaches, administrators and others to explain some of the country’s shortcomings in the Twenty20 format.

Jamaica’s senior head coach Junior Bennett told the Observer last year that local batsmen and fielders often struggle on the regional stage when they compete under flood lights.

“… Jamaica is the only major territory in the Caribbean without lights and we have difficulties with it from time to time, especially the younger members of the team,” Bennett said.