‘We will continue to give him the support’

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Cricket West Indies (CWI) Vice President Azim Bassarath has confirmed that while the board’s decision was not unanimous, the governing body maintains “full faith” in President Dr Kishore Shallow’s ability to lead while simultaneously serving as a government minister in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The statement comes amid public debate over Shallow’s capacity to fulfil both demanding roles. Speaking on the i95.5fm Isports programme with host Andre Errol Baptiste, Bassarath acknowledged the split in opinions.

“Since Dr Shallow would have won the election in St Vincent, some were saying that he should go, some were saying that he should stay,” Bassarath stated. “We cannot really take seriously some of the comments that were made by different people.”

Bassarath revealed that the CWI directors held discussions with Shallow, who provided assurances of his capability to manage both positions.

This led to a majority agreement within the board to support him seeing out his CWI term.

“Dr Shallow has said that he wants us to vote for his term, the directors agreed, of course, some of the directors would not have agreed,” Bassarath said.

“We know his capability, we know what he can do, and we give him the support, and we will continue to give him the support.”

The vice president cited Shallow’s energy, his previous consultancy work across the Caribbean, and his eight years of involvement in West Indies cricket as reasons for the board’s confidence.

“He has the support of me and, of course, the other two directors at Cricket West Indies,” Bassarath affirmed.

In a significant secondary disclosure, Bassarath indicated that a major structural reform, long-recommended in various reports on West Indies cricket, is now under serious consideration.

He stated that CWI is moving towards implementing a model of “only one director per territory”, a change from the current structure.

This proposal has been a key recommendation in several reviews aimed at streamlining the board’s decision-making processes.

“We have taken some of the recommendations from some of the reports. We have dealt quite a bit with the Wehby report,” Bassarath explained.

“Maybe in the very near future, we will be dealing with the two directors from a territorial board, which may be the next item on the agenda.”

While cautioning that “no time frame has been given”, the vice president was clear that the move is likely. “I am quite sure that that is a topic, and that is an item that will be dealt with in the near future at CWI.”

The potential reform represents a proactive step by CWI to address long-standing calls for governance modernisation, even as it navigates the unique circumstance of its president serving in a dual role.