Dennie Quill, Contributor

Cricket, lovely cricket! Once again, devotees have gone to Sabina Park to witness the battle between the Windies and the Aussies who have been sitting atop the cricketing world since 1995 when they wrested the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy from under our nose. With three of its key players missing most of the training camp to participate in the lucrative Indian Premier League, an injured Chris Gayle and a suspended Marlon Samuels, fans are nervous.

But for me, the current series provides a perfect opportunity to mount my soap box and repeat calls for transparency and accountability in West Indies cricket. There remain some haunting questions about Cricket World Cup 2007. Concerns expressed by fans and commentators about the lack of accounting for the 2007 series have met with a wall of silence. The WICB reportedly hauled in US$60 million from the World Cup. What was Jamaica's cut? When will the accounts be available (not on the Internet) for public scrutiny? What were the terms and conditions under which the Government pumped money into the massive renovation at Sabina Park which is part-owned by a private members' club, namely Kingston Cricket Club. These are legitimate questions and the local administrators and the West Indies Cricket Board, clothed with so much power and privilege, should not be allowed to treat citizens with contempt by remaining silent.

Citizens bore burden

Every citizen of Jamaica and the wider Caribbean was made to bear some of the burden of staging Cricket World Cup. Taxpayers' money was put into construction and renovation. It takes no magic to understand that funds would have had to be diverted from necessary social programmes to facilitate preparations for the staging of this event. The Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium? Let's not go there this time. Taxpayers, ticket buyers, investors and sponsors require answers.

Let's look at Sabina Park. The renovation has increased seating capacity from 16,000 to 20,000, and includes the creation of upscale private boxes in the five-storey North Stand - a concrete marvel, in stark contrast against the lush backdrop of the elegant Blue Mountains. But I digress. I have talked to a few investors in these multimillion-dollar boxes and they were asked to pay for them prior to the World Cup, but were not allowed to assume ownership until a month ago. Did the Jamaica Cricket Board turn around and rent these boxes for the World Cup? If that were the case, should these investors gain a windfall? In the absence of transparency there is always speculation.

But if sports mirror society, then we really ought not to expect much else beyond hearty handshakes, innate grins and camera-ready poses from the administrators of West Indies cricket as they preen themselves across the various grounds. The lack of accountability is a societal problem.

State of Sabina

Last week, when I visited the North Stand at Sabina Park, I was horrified to see the state of unpreparedness. Construction debris was everywhere, garbage littered the grounds, musty carpets assailed the nostrils. I am told that as the week progressed there were myriad examples of bungling and incompetence, and work continued way into Thursday morning.

So why should anyone fault Dwayne Bravo for touching down on Jamaican soil a mere 48 hours before the toss is taken? Why are we beating upon our boys when they perform poorly? Yes, sport mimics society and the sloppiness and incompetence which have been the hallmarks of cricket administration in Jamaica and the region are extended to the field of play.

A number of new faces will be sitting at the table of the CARICOM heads of government conference this summer. I am challenging the leaders to place West Indies cricket high on the agenda. I foresee a commission of enquiry being ordered into the running of the 2007 World Cup. I have seen someone describe the WICB as the Worst Incompetent Cricket Board in the world, but let's not take his word; let's have an independent panel of eminent West Indians decide that. Meantime, Mr Hendriks, I would wipe that smile off my face, if I were you.