Lucky: 2 WICB Directors Didn't Cooperate

The chairman of the WICB-appointed Sponsorship Review Committee on Monday disclosed that two WICB directors refused to cooperate with the work of the three-man body.

During a ceremony at the Crowne Plaza in Trinidad and Tobago, Justice Anthony Lucky made the surprising disclosure while outlining some of the difficulties the committee faced in getting information from some quarters.

has learned that one member of the WICB's executive committee -- Trinidad & Tobago's Richard DeSouza -- had a verbal confrontation with Justice Lucky during a round of questioning.

The refusal of board members to fully cooperate is surprising since it was the full board that appointed the committee and released the wide-ranging terms of service for the Lucky committee.

Among other things, the WICb empowered the committee to review and examine all correspondence, transactions, communications, minutes, contracts, records, arrangements and any other relevant information concerning the negotiations for the renewal of the sponsorship arrangement with C&W, and the negotiations and conclusion of the sponsorship arrangement with Digicel.

Despite the difficulties, Lucky said he was generally satisfied with the way the job was done.

According to the Trinidad Guardian newspaper, the contents of the report will remain confidential until president Ken Gordon and the full board have read and discussed the findings, before it is released to the public.

The Anthony Lucky Committee was appointed on June 2 and its report was to be handed in July 15. But delays in its investigation resulted in the report being handed in yesterday.

The committee comprised Justice Lucky, Gregory Georges and Avondale Thomas, both accountants from Antigua.

The Guardian reported that WICB president Ken Gordon emphasises that the WICB, responding to a groundswell of dissatisfaction and innuendo from many quarters, appointed the committee with the intention of clearing the air and getting on with the business of managing West Indies cricket.

He informed the media that neither he nor his board had yet read the document, but as soon as they had and discussed it, they would inform the stakeholders, the fans of the game, what was in the report.

The new president thanked Justice Lucky and his committee and said, ?The document will be carefully examined and acted upon by the executive of the WICB as soon as possible and I assure you we will not be sweeping anything under the carpet.?

Georges and Thomas thanked the members of the board who co-operated with them and Georges said: ?We are glad it is over. It was hard and tough, but a noble service and that made it a pleasure to do. This has been fair and independent and we can see a light at the end of the tunnel.?

Gordon revealed that he had been in contact with Clive Lloyd regarding a position on an ad-hoc cricket development committee, but that he has been seeking to sort out his position in the UK before a decision could be made.

Gordon said he expects to hear from Lloyd in a few days.