Former JCA head demands emergency CWI meeting over Shallow’s dual roles

A cricket firestorm from an administrative standpoint is said to be brewing, as former Jamaica Cricket Association President Wilford ‘Billy’ Heaven has issued a forceful demand to Cricket West Indies, calling for an immediate Extraordinary Annual General Meeting to address the “untenable” dual leadership of President Dr Kishore Shallow.

The urgent call stems from Dr Shallow’s recent confirmation that he intends to complete his term as CWI president while simultaneously serving as the minister of tourism and maritime affairs for St Vincent and the Grenadines, a move that has ignited controversy across the region.

Speaking on Irie FM’s What’s The Score on Monday in Jamaica, Heaven, who served as a CWI director during Shallow’s first term, argued that the roles represent a clear conflict of interest. He insisted the decision on Shallow’s future cannot be his alone.

“This is a Caribbean game, and it’s for the Caribbean people,” Heaven stated. “The people must decide. I believe he should demit office and should have contemplated this long before, given that he was thinking about going into parliament.”

That call from Heaven could very well fall on deaf ears, as Shallow has made it clear that he can, and will, manage both roles effectively.

Shallow also went on to highlight that there were past executives at Cricket West Indies who were members of parliament.

But the question is now being asked: Can a member of parliament leave the government business to attend to private matters?

With this notion, Heaven’s primary recommendation is unequivocal, as he believes that Shallow must relinquish one of his positions.

“He should step down from one of the two roles, and the likely one right now is to step down from the presidency of CWI.”

The concern appears widespread. Former St Vincent Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves revealed he had reservations when Shallow was first made a CWI candidate, and is now aware that several regional leaders are dissatisfied with the president’s decision to cling to both posts.

The brewing storm places CWI at a critical juncture. With its president declaring he will not seek re-election but refusing to step aside early, the regional board faces mounting pressure to clarify its governance standards and heed calls for a decisive meeting to resolve the escalating crisis.