Plaster Over a Persistent Sore?

Three days after an epic Stanford 20/20 final between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, the euphoria still saturates the atmosphere in the Caribbean.

Yet the stain of economic deprivation which has left a legacy of under?development and a number of social ills cannot be cured by a one?off 20/20 tournament.

It is true that not even Stanford's US$41 million in sponsorship or even the US$5 million "winner take all" in November will unfasten the burden immediately. Th

The Texan billionaire made it clear on Monday of the millions that he has contributed, noting he entered into an agreement With the WICB In a "conciliatory tone and attitude."

But if the development of cricket in the region isn;'t the ultimate goal, then the tournament would only have served as plaster over a persistent sore.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) says its state of bankruptcy has been greatly exaggerated.

But, it begs the question, why after 78 years should the board be subservient to those with millions -- whether telecom or Texan?

It's an indictment on those that have chartered the course since and the people of the Caribbean can only hope, that the game which has steadily evolved into a cultural institution, a radical opposition to the original intentions of those who conspired for its import as an agent of control and reaffirmation can again be emancipated from the claws of a postcolonial board with a colonial mindset.

The game of cricket which now transcends geo?political landscapes is a greenfield for entrepreneurs and it's hoped the millions won on Sunday will be converted into the development of the cricketers in Guyana.

* Oral Buchanan is a reporter with Jamaica's CVM Television.