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London on schedule for Olympics
02/11/2006 11:47 - (SA)
London - London has met all its deadlines and is firmly on schedule in its preparations for the 2012 Olympics.
That was the message sent out from the British capital on Wednesday in response to allegations from the ex-chairperson of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) that the Games were running late and over budget.
Jack Lemley resigned last month as head of the body responsible for delivering the venues and infrastructure for the Games less than a year after his appointment on a four-year contract.
And the 71-year-old American engineering tycoon ruffled more than a few feathers on Tuesday when he complained of political meddling and raised fears that projects may not be ready in time.
That prompted Sports Minister Richard Caborn to launch a robust defence of London's ability to deliver the 2012 Games on time.
"I am disappointed about Jack's comments because I got on very well with him, but his statements don't stand up," Caborn said.
"The IOC have been over here several times, they are seasoned observers of Olympic preparations and we have been given glowing reports.
"They say we are a year ahead of Sydney, two years ahead of Athens and we have every confidence in the ODA delivering the venues for the Games as required."
In his interview with the Idaho Statesman Lemley said he quit to preserve his reputation as a man who got the job done on time.
"I went there to build things, not to sit and talk about it, so I felt it best to leave the post and come home.
"I felt it was better to come home now than face that in five or six years," the former head of the group that built the Channel Tunnel told the newspaper.
He claimed disputes over the future of the stadium and with the 300 businesses who have to be relocated kept interfering with the ODA's plans and he was unhappy with the Government's support for West Ham to take over the Olympic Stadium.
"A football field is not compatible with an athletic stadium," said Lemley, who was also stunned by the opposition of some of the businesses to moving away from the site in Stratford, east London.
"Some of the people were happy to move, and some of them weren't. In any event, there was a huge amount of local politics. Those are the kind of things that confuse and frustrate the process."
Despite their bite an ODA spokesperson nevertheless welcomed Lemley's comments.
"It is only right that there should be a political debate about a project of this scale and importance - it would be very unusual if that were not the case.
"It is also right that we are having this debate, whether it is about the legacy of 2012 facilities or the regeneration opportunities the Games present, now - rather than years down the track.
"The fact is that we have hit all our major milestones to date and important work is continuing day by day.
- AFP
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