The members of the Ken's Wildflower Community Sports Club, located on Port Henderson Road, said they are willing to battle to save their sports ground. This was disclosed at the club's annual general meeting at Ken's Wild-flower on Sunday.

Last August, the club, the brainchild of businessman Lester 'Ken' Crooks, was informed by the Ministry of Water and Housing to desist and quit its sports ground opposite the Garveymeade community. Club president Paul Crooks, Ken's brother, said the ministry is targeting his brother and not the club.

President Crooks said: "We were publicly given the land, and they are trying to take it away from us privately. He said the club got an eviction notice last August and was given 31 days to vacate the land. This was extended to December last year.

Dr Paul Robertson, former member of parliament for South East St Catherine, ceremonially broke ground in 2004 to build a sports complex, with Lester Crooks and members of the Ken's Wildflower sports club in attendance, with a strong media presence.

Reports are that land is earmarked for a housing development by the ministry. The main attraction at the sports ground is cricket but there are plans to make a netball court. Ken's Wildfower plays in the Wray and Nephew White Over-proof Rum Portmore Cricket League.

Treasurer, Randal Gibson, before starting his report, said that the club has spent more than $5.5 million on fixing up the grounds. "We wouldn't want that to go down the drain," he said, adding that he hoped that the powers that be will help them.

Mayor Hinds, who was at the meeting, had this to say: "I know the grounds have been an issue and is the grounds that is currently been played on by Ken's Wildf-lower. The Housing Agency of Jamaica is in fact preparing to do a housing project on those grounds. There have been responses from the honourable Prime Minister Bruce Golding in regard to the lands that the league (Portmore Metropolitan Cricket League) has asked for. We have looked at four acres in the area of Westchester. It is not just Portmore cricket league we are asking for, but also grounds for Ken's Wildflower sports ground, as well home for them."

Hinds said a meeting between himself and all stakeholders will be set up shortly. "I know the minister of Water and Housing want to get involved because some of the lands will fall under his purview, and a meeting will be set up shortly to deal with that issue," he said. Hinds said he believes the Government of Jamaica will want to support a cricket league in Portmore that is in full bloom.