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| Could TT 2002 Be Called Off?
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The foot-and-mouth crisis could go on until next
year's TT, it has been claimed.
Tourism Minister David Cretney believes chief vet
Eamon O'Donnell told a meeting of the Department of
Tourism's marketing partnership that the disease could
continue to spread for a number of months.
Mr Cretney is fighting to ensure the Manx Grand Prix
goes ahead, even though the crisis is continuing.
He said: 'My understanding was that he said at the
meeting that this could go on until TT 2002.'
Mr O'Donnell said he informed members of the
partnership of the worst case and best case scenarios
- the worst case being that the disease could still be
spreading next year.
The best case scenario is that it could be over in the
autumn.
The tourism minister is desperate for the amateur road
race to be staged in August following the massive blow
to tourism after the TT was cancelled due to
foot-and-mouth.
He believes the event should go ahead with no-go zones
and safe spectator areas put in place.
Mr Cretney said he wants to meet with farmers to
discuss his plans, stating: 'I want to meet the
farmers before I go to the Council of Ministers.'
He believes a risk assessment should be made of
potential problems with running the event and added
the crisis was like 'being in a boxing ring and being
punched and punched and punched'.
Mr O'Donnell would not reveal his views on the MGP but
said at the moment the crisis in the UK is following a
similar pattern to that of the 1967 outbreak.
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