The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) says UWI Professor Hilary Beckles was speaking in his private capacity when he made controversial remarks comparing Chris Gayle to a Jamaican "don" and claiming the board was trying to get rid of that mentality from the senior team.

 

In a statement released to CaribbeanCricket.com, WICB spokesman Imran Khan said Beckles was not at the time speaking as a director of the board.

 

"As far as the WICB is aware Prof. Beckles was speaking, at the time, in his private capacity as an academic, something which he is invited to do quite regularly given his standing in regional and global academia. Prof. Beckles was not, at the time, speaking as a Director of the WICB," Khan said.

 

He added that the matter had not been discussed by the full board of directors.

Beckles' statement, made during a lecture in St Kitts, has drawn the ire of cricket fans around the region with several high-profile officials calling for an immediate apology.