Where is The WICB Headed? (Part 3)

Having done nothing to take advantage of the potentially lucrative lottery project, as discussed in part two of this series, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) needed a make-up plan.

The plan involved a boat. A SAIL. The South African Investment Limited, a sports investment firm out of South Africa who wanted to expand their investment portfolio in what they concluded was the most dynamic and exciting cricket sporting business in the Western Hemisphere. SAIL contended that they were full of money and could contribute management to the WICB marketing initiatives.

After much negotiations, due diligence exercises and completion of an agreement, the WICB and SAIL agreed to incorporate a subsidiary company in which the SAIL would buy equity to the tune of US$8 million and would provide management of the WICB intellectual rights, the WICB marketing operations and the revenues and operations from international cricket.

The WICB would therefore be resigned to managing cricket operations and development. The US$8 million is of course already spent because the territories have told the WICB that they need money to finance the development of players that will win the 2007 World Cup for the West Indies.

In normal circumstances, this would be sound corporate planning. But in the context of the West Indies, this bordered on the sacrilegious. Many see this as an act of selling or disposing of the West Indian peoples birthrights. Oh, how Tim Hector, Learie Constantine, Sir Frank Worrell and others who worked and played so hard for West Indian nationhood and unity through cricket, oh how they must be turning in their graves.

Six million West Indians would gladly take equity in a public West Indies Cricket Company if asked to in order to raise capital for development of West Indies cricket.

In 2002 a Trinidad Bank, the First Merchant Bank gladly provided a loan to the WICB at rates below market as their commitment to cricket in the region. They, like all of us, regard cricket as our life. We did not have a say, even now we do not have a share holding in the WICB.

There are hundreds of questions unasked and unanswered and the passive media in the Caribbean plays right into the hands of the "we ting" clique.

What did Wes Hall and his EC cohorts say to the Prime Ministers? Heavens knows. What we do know is that the Prime Ministers are not impressed at the loss of opportunity and finance as a result of the failed lottery project that falls squarely in Val Banks' lap. In their own local parlance, they must be saying "Singh and Banks, president and vice president of what, the WICB?' "Tal, nanana, absurd, not tenable."

We all feel the same way.

Willie who? Lennox who? Cricketers, cricket managers, administrators of rank who are prepared to stand up and be counted as alternates to Singh and Banks. But, it is not to be. The skillful engineering of the nomination process has robbed us of a realistic shot at challenging the status-quo. It was supposed to be a symbolic challenge and, in a way, it served its purpose. We have all seen the EC wield its power in a negative, ugly way.

Willie Rodriguez was regarded by West Indies players as one of the most liked and effective managers of West Indies teams. A team player in his time. A West Indian cap in both cricket and football. Known to create magic with his leg-breaks and googlies. A successful businessman of his own and other people's companies. President of the largest club in the West Indies, leader of a management committee that produce profits for their members, Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board and the WICB.

Rodriguez was a man prepared to deal with the issue of removing gender equality from an institution once regarded as the bastion of racial, social and gender inequity in Trinidad and the West Indies. Credit must also be given to Alloy Lequay who was a giant of a man in the struggle for the democratisation of cricket in T&T and the dismantling of the colonial power and control of cricket that resided in the Queens Park Cricket Club (QPCC).

The club and the TTCBC forged a close relationship for each others benefit and that of cricket over the years, but observers are speculating on how the 2003 WICB election will affect this relationship. The backbenchers had a lot of confidence in Willie and Alloy to effectively deal with this situation both before and after the election.

At the end of the day, we all need each other for the development of WI cricket once we have respect for each other and exercise our best judgments. If Lequay is prepared to continue to "morally" hedge his bets on Chetty, he should be reminded that betting is no longer tolerated in cricket. To be associated with betting in cricket is "morally" wrong. Lequay missed that boat.

Lennox John's words that he was only interested in raising the profile of the Windward Islands was a very telling statement. It speaks to the deep-seated resentment and frustration within the smaller islands at being "left out" and "forgotten" at the WICB level.

John has been in the leadership of Windward Islands cricket for the last twenty years and during that time, the Windwards have built the best Test and ODI cricket grounds in the West Indies. John has been the successful manager of the West Indies Under 15 Team that won the ICC Under 15 World Cup in the UK in 2000. As Chairman of the WICB Disciplinary Committee, he has presided over the Revision of the WICB Code of Conduct to bring it in line with the modern requirements of the game. Not known to be an outspoken member of the Board, John was prepared stand up to put wrongs right.

But, the "we ting" crew made sure he will remain an outsider. It's our loss.

Election day Sunday, July 13 (In cricket the number 13 is regarded as a kind of unlucky number). It is the second day of the two meetings. The first is the Board of Directors meeting on Saturday July 12, with the AGM on Sunday.

Reverend Wes Hall will build his strength to deliver his last hurrah. Speeches will be prepared by his colleagues thanking him for his contribution over the last two years. He will probably shed tears and say to the meeting that he had embarked on a journey together with them to restore West Indies Cricket to the heights it had once soared. He will attempt to capture his perceived accomplishment and express regret that ill health had not interrupted his journey temporarily.

Out of relative obscurity, he may have fulfilled his mission or he may have betrayed it. In judging him, let us do so as we judge each generation who proceeded him. If we think he has failed us, it is possible that he operated beyond his generation.

We will still remember him, running in to bowl, with the sole of his feet in its delivery stride facing the batsman and destroying all before him. We will remember him as a fine motivational speaker who could make any crowd laugh. He opened many doors and many were held in awe in his presence. Many will follow him.

Let us pray for him as he himself prayed for us and wish good health and prosperity in his future endeavors.

By the end of the meeting on Sunday when the dust settles and the press conferences are completed it will be time for all members (the umpires, the women, the players, the territories and all stakeholders) to ensure that cricket as a game again becomes paramount in the West Indies.

We must struggle for development and fight against corruption. We must fight the good fight for honour and competitiveness. We must win the war against disrespect, mediocrity and embarrassment.

Cricket is, after all, "we ting".