Martin Williamson asks the obvious questions about the hastily extended and now contentious Digicel contract.

[T]here are some serious questions that need to be asked about the way the deal was negotiated, especially the role of Ken Gordon, the WICB’s outgoing president.

Gordon’s tenure ends this weekend on July 29. He arrived with West Indies cricket in a mess, but there were high hopes he was the man to turn things round. Sadly, few would argue that he leaves it in a better state than he found it in. The last few months have been blighted by increasingly acrimonious disputes with players and a continuing decline on the field.

Given that he was about to depart, it might have been thought that he would leave such a major issue as the renegotiation of the Digicel contract to his successor, who is likely, barring an alternative candidate appearing late in the day, to be Julian Hunte.

But what actually happened was quite the opposite. Gordon and his executive actually accelerated the negotiation process. On July 15, two weeks before Gordon steps down, he held an executive meeting to ratify the deal. The board was split down the middle - which raises concerns that the deal might not be as beneficial as it is being painted - and Gordon had to use his deciding vote to force the contract through.

I am desperately trying to refrain from thinking the worst thoughts about this very smelly extension.

Posted in WIPA, Power Brokers, WICB Idiocy |