West Indies cricket in crisis

Howard Hamilton, Contributor

West Indies cricket is one of the few remaining symbols of West Indian unity. This, along with the University of the West Indies, stands as a beacon of the vision that guided our forefathers as they sought to bring together the colonies in the Caribbean that formed part of the British Empire.

The game of cricket, inherited from our colonial masters, served to signal West Indies unity. We faced the world with a sense of pride, knowing that together we could conquer everything. We basked in the glory of our achievements and shared the pain of our failures. We were West Indians, proud and fearless.

This bonding must forever be nurtured, pampered and protected. We should never, ever allow insular bigotry and the idiosyncrasies of 'small minds' to belittle or destroy this strength. The current state of the administration of West Indies cricket threatens the legacy of our forefathers and cannot be allowed to continue. Never before have we seen such blatant disregard of the basic tenets of proper governance. The time has come for us to be proactive and positive in the action which we take.

How we know something's wrong

Let us look at some of the issues which would lead us to conclude that something is basically wrong:

The fixture for the home series against Australia was recently released. No matches were allocated to Jamaica. I cannot recall any home series where Jamaica was excluded. Matches were allocated to Barbados, Trinidad, Guyana, St Vincent, and St Lucia. The match scheduled for Guyana was subsequently shifted to Dominica, an island with a population of 72,380.

As an aside, it is interesting to note that the prime minister of Dominica made this announcement before the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). I can find no basis for the exclusion of Jamaica, since Jamaica ranks third behind Trinidad and Barbados in financial returns for Test matches. One can therefore assume that the decision was political and not economic.

The ongoing dispute between Chris Gayle and the WICB is untenable and is symptomatic of the strained relationship which exists between the players association (WIPA) and WICB. Enough has been written on this subject, and it is now time for action. The appointment of Darren Sammy to replace Gayle as captain is part of what would seem to be a sinister plan to change the structure and thinking of the WICB. This has been evident ever since 2007 when, for the first time, a president was elected from the OECS subregion. What is significant is the following:

• Since 2007, all the CEOs have been selected from the OECS
• Managers of touring teams have been selected from the OECS
• All subcommittees - Finance, Marketing, Human Resource and Development, and Corporate Governance, are chaired by representatives of the OECS.
• The selection process seems skewed towards the Islanders, especially as it relates to West Indies High Performance and A teams.
• There have been a number of questionable appointments to key positions at management and board levels.

The current administrators of cricket need to understand that cricket belongs to ALL the people of the region, and they are but temporary custodians of this great regional endeavour.

A comprehensive report charting the way forward was prepared in 2007 for the board by a team including Sir Alister McIntyre and the Hon P.J. Patterson. In 2009, the president of the WICB reported that the majority of the recommendations in the Patterson Report had been embraced by the board and had either been, or are being, implemented. It was stated then that these were recommendations, not edicts. Notwithstanding, he reported that action had been taken on some 47 of the 65 recommendations. These included the agreeing of a new comprehensive Memorandum of Agreement with WIPA. Subsequent events have proven this to be questionable, since disputes continue and arbitration seems now to be the norm in settling agreements between these two bodies. It is this area of governance that is constantly being judged by the public.

Mutual trust and respect needed

In November of 2010, no less a person than the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago called on the WICB and the WIPA to end their ongoing feud for the betterment of cricket in the region. The prime minister also called for the full implementation of the Patterson Report. She is reported as saying: "I am calling on the WICB and the WIPA to improve their relationship in order to return cricket to its glory days. Both parties must have mutual trust, respect and full disclosure in order to achieve better relations. Blame is the comfort of the weak. Change is the name of the warrior, so we must be willing to make that change that would make a difference and not keep blaming each other. The game of cricket means so much to us, it defines us, it unites us and gives us a sense of belonging."

Regional leaders are unanimous in that there is an urgent need for the restructuring of West Indies cricket. As recently as September of 2011, the regional Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee reiterated that West Indies cricket belongs to the people of the region, to whom the stewardship of the game must be accountable. The Patterson Report submitted in 2007 is a comprehensive document that addresses this need. The present crisis in West Indies cricket should be the catalyst to bring about the changes required. We cannot expect the current board to initiate change since they are the problem. This needs the full involvement of sponsors, private society and regional governments. The Patterson Report is a guide. Let us move with alacrity.

Howard L. Hamilton, CD, JP is former general manager of The Shell Co (WI) Ltd and was the architect of the Shell Shield regional cricket tournament which sparked the emergence of West Indies cricket to levels of world supremacy in the '70s and '80s. He can be contacted at howham23@gmail.com.