Foreign ‘experts’ to monitor Kalmadi & Co

“It was extremely demoralising,” Mattoo told The Indian Express. “It seemed they came with a preconceived agenda because the points they raised were not at all based on the presentations we made. I don’t know what this independent technical committee is going to do or achieve. There are certain channels,for example,the Indian government,and you cannot bypass them. We expected the CGF to boost our morale but Mike Fennell didn’t do that.”

Earlier,when asked if the CGF had an alternative venue for the Games,Fennell had said: “Our Plan B is Delhi.”

But that was one of the few positive statements he made regarding India’s preparations,after delegates from 71 Commonwealth territories — over the last six days — inspected venues and viewed presentations from the OC.

“There are particular concerns across all operational areas,as well as with the procurement process,” Fennell said,“…the CGF Executive Board has decided to establish a high level independent Technical Review Panel that will meet each month and monitor progress against promise. This Technical Review Panel will report monthly — in an open and transparent fashion — to all stakeholders — the Prime Minister’s Office,the Government of Delhi,to the Organising Committee,the CGF,the CGAs (Commonwealth Games Associations of different countries),and the media.”

Fennell added: “We will empower them (the new committee) to call in other technical experts as required,and to liaise and engage with CGA representatives to ensure relevant policies are put in place and implemented. This Panel will establish timelines for all major areas,monitor progress against those timelines,and assist the OC to create policies and plans to deliver the Games.”

The dressing-down continued as Fennell stressed on how the Organising Committee needed to get its act together quickly,saying: “With two years to go to the Delhi Games,I said to the Organising Committee that time was not their friend. With one year to go,I now say that time is your enemy but together we can defeat it.”

The redressal path that the CGF has taken is outsourcing a number of key functional areas. “In the past two weeks,international experts,with big-Games experience,have been appointed to the following areas — village operations,Press operations,transport,ticketing,and accreditation. Over the next week,further experts will be appointed for venue operations (including cluster managers),spectator services,logistics,and sport operations. I think that you will agree that,while overdue,this is a big step forward,” Fennell said.

When asked who would pay for these experts,Fennell said: “The CGF will assist the Organising Committee.”

Apart from the Review Panel,the CGF’s Coordination Commission will continue to visit India. The next trip is due in December,“by which time,” Fennell said,“the Organising Committee has undertaken to address all key issues across all operational areas.”

Last month,Fennell had written a letter to Kalmadi,expressing fears that the Games could be a “partial failure” unless the OC management was overhauled.