WICB Boss Accuses Holding of 'Defamation'

Sun, Sep 17, '06

:

When I accepted the responsibility of the Presidency of the WICB, I did so in the full knowledge that I would be exposed to public criticism. This has indeed occurred and I expect that this will continue to be the case given the deep emotion which surrounds West Indian cricket.

In the current circumstances there has been disappointment over the cancellation of the Stanford 20/20 Super Series against South Africa and this among other things has led to the resignation of Mr. Michael Holding from the Cricket Committees of the West Indies Cricket Board.

Mr. Holding has advanced his reasons for doing so and while I do not understand them, it is his right to offer his services or to withdraw them and this must be respected. It is unfortunate that in doing so he has descended to personal abuse and defamation but by itself that would not have led me to call this Press Conference.

I have finally decided to do so because the pattern appears to be continuing and I do so with regret. There has been too much acrimony and confusion in West Indies cricket. We must reject that legacy. This is a time when more than ever we should be taking some little encouragement from recent positive developments. We need to build on whatever good is taking place if we are to climb out of the hole in which West Indies cricket finds itself.

Good progress has been made and we are about to launch appeals for the support of Corporate Caribbean; our team is competing in the current series against two of the best teams in the World; we have entered into a new dispensation in our relationship with the representatives of our players association.

These developments are not assisted by continuing to shoot ourselves in the foot, so I have invited you here today to let the issues hang out and to once and for all outline all the facts so we may try to go forward.

Let's confront the issues perceived or otherwise, address them, and I hope you will address then fully. But then let us leave them behind and move on to positive territory.

As I understand it, the major allegation which has been made is:

1. That the WICB did not seriously attempt to facilitate the Stanford 20/20 Super Series and in particular did not earnestly try to have Pakistan alter the dates of the Pakistan /West Indies game.

What are the facts? (See Tobago Aide Memoire of March 9th - published in full below). To fast forward to the current situation, these are best addressed by Clive Hitchcock?s letter of September 8th which in response to a letter from Mr. Stanford of September 01st outlines the detailed sequence of events. Unfortunately, it is too lengthy a letter to read at this time but I hope that the print media will publish it. In essence Mr. Hitchcock?s letter confirms what we have said from the outset. If members of the media have any question on that score, I would be pleased to address them.

Also I refer you to letter dated September 15th which I received yesterday from the President of the Pakistan Board. You will recall that surprise has been expressed that this gentleman should have so readily acceded to Mr. Holding?s request yet denied the representation of the WICB with the implication that the WICB did not really try to assist. I shall read the President Khan's letter.

2. Then is has been alleged that as President, I side- stepped the Cricket Committee of the Board over the timing of the selection of the West Indies Team. There appeared to be absolutely no merit to this argument but I thought it prudent to seek the views of the Chairman of the Cricket Committee.

In Mr. Lloyd?s response he too firmly denied that his committee was side-stepped. To quote the relevant extract of his email, "the Cricket Committee should not have been involved in this issue; consequently the responsibility rests solely with the WICB Selectors".

3. It has been alleged that I was being dishonest when I reported that I had been informed that the Selectors had decided to defer selection of the West Indies team on Mr. Lara?s recommendation.

I was informed by the Chief Cricket Operations Officer, Mr. Zorol Barthley that the Selectors had asked for a deferral until after the Malaysia Tri Series due to Brain Lara's concerns over selecting the team too early. Mr. Barthley email confirming that he had so advised is dated September 5th and stated clearly:

"I am pleased to confirm that on your enquiry about the team selection for the tour of Pakistan, I confirmed that the selectors had asked for a deferral until after the Malaysian tri series due to Brain's concerns over selecting the team too early".

4. A further allegation made is that when I became President I changed the Terms of Reference for the Cricket Committee, leading to the resignation of Messrs Lloyd and Holding.

There were two attempts to establish Committees which involved Mr. Holding before the renewed Cricket Committee was formed:

i. Special Advisory Committee of 5 which involved Messrs Lloyd and Holding ? was not approved by WICB

ii. Producing a winning team for the Cricket World Cup in 2007 known as Win World Cup Committee. Mr. Holding declined membership of this committee. There was no issue about resignation for he was never a part of the committee. This was a committee with a proposed function that was entirely different to the advisory committee. It is a therefore a non issue to suggest that there was some duplicity about changing terms of reference.

The foregoing are the facts.

It is only left for me to add that I hardly know Mr. Holding other than by reputation. To the best of my recall, I have met him once at a meeting of the Cricket Committee and spoken to him by phone on some 3 or 4 occasions.

My only further comment a this time is that I regret that one whom I have long admired as one of our cricketing greats should have so readily descended to personal abuse and even defamation without regard to the facts.

Had the circumstances been different I would have ignored these personal attacks. But at a time when good progress is being made within the WICB it is important that the record be set straight.

FULL TEXT OF AIDE MEMOIRE BETWEEN WICB AND ALLEN STANFORD:

March 09th , 2006

Those present at the meeting in Lambeau, Tobago on Wednesday March 08th 2006:

Mr. Allen Stanford
Mr. Kenneth Gordon
Ms. Andrea Stoelker - Stanford Group
Dr. Grenville Phillips - WICB
Ms. Julie Hodge

The following matters were discussed and agreed:

1. That AS will work closely with the WICB in developing his 20/20 project.

2. The WICB will play no role in the organizing of the 20/20series. The series will be handled exclusively by the Stanford 20/20 organization.

3. AS will aggressively assist in resolving the current financial difficulties of the WICB. Specifically:

i. The existing 20M deficit, which his organization will finance on condition that it is covered by an irrevocable letter of assignment against expected World Cup profits with the necessary approvals from the ICC and relevant banks.

ii. Additional financing that may be necessary to cover shortfalls to September 2007, estimated at 5 million dollars

4. AS will sponsor the proposed working seminar to launch the West Indies Cricket Development Plan.

5. AS has previously committed to sponsoring the first year of the Cricket Development Plan and is considering years two, three and four when the current exercise to eliminate duplications of costs between territorial boards and the Cricket Development plan is completed.

6. A Memorandum of Agreement will be drawn up between WICB and the Stanford Group covering the terms of this relationship.

7. Document (Memorandum of Agreement) to be drawn up by GP before the WICB Board meeting of March 31st 2006.