An irate West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) director has lashed out at some regional governments for what he says is a clear situation of a fight down.
His comments come 24 hours after T&T Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, speaking on CNC3 TV’s programme the Morning Brew with host Hema Ramkissoon, lashed out at the WICB saying: “Caribbean cricket has been hijacked by a small clique of people who are hell bent on destroying Caribbean cricket.
“And this is my position that unless the question is answered as to who owns that asset we spinning top in mud. I was told to my face, me and my colleague the Prime Minister of Grenada, that you all have no say in this. This is West Indies Cricket Inc. West Indies Cricket Incorporated. And it is their shareholders that they have to please.”
Prime Minister Rowley continued: “I don’t know who the shareholders are, but what I do know [is] unless there are drastic changes to the current arrangements, West Indies cricket will never get back to where it is expected to be.”
A director speaking on the condition of anonymity said: “The Honourable Prime Ministers made recommendations and even before the WICB could sit and agree as to what to take on board, they run about the place making noise. All they are interested in is total control. Not all the recommendations made by them would and can be taken on board. The WICB has to see what makes sense because we sit in a position to understand what is going on with the cricket, more than those who have been entrusted with the responsibility of leading their country.
“Dr Rowley is speaking, but would he take on all the recommendations that are being sent the way of his government? I don’t think he and his cabinet would go down that road. One expects more measured and responsible comments from men in such positions. We have taken the WICB from a position of serious debt to one of profitability and comments like these can only hurt us, as we look to bring investors on board, to assist with funding our development programmes, which would lead to a better West Indies team”, said the board member.
The official said: “The governments of the region must tell the truth about what the WICB faces when it comes to the various terrorities to host matches.
“As it stands, one government is yet to pay the WICB for matches that were staged in a certain country about three years ago. There are other situtions faced at various venues across the Caribbean where the WICB hosts matches. There are instances where the WICB has to pay various bills like water and electricity that are left unpaid by some regional governmnents and when the WICB comes in to play matches we have to clear those bills before Windies cricket could play.”
The source said: “We all want the best for West Indies cricket, but the regional governments must display leadership in doing so and not try to bully their way to get want they want.
He concluded: “While we are not saying that we have all the answers, we think that instead of the governments trying to get rid of the present directors, they should be engaging us in meaningful discussions and come on board and partner with us to make the game and the management better and more effective. The government of Antigua/Barbuda headed by the Honourable Gaston Brown has led the way by partnering with us and assisting where he can help in building a better regional cricket outfit.”
