debut: 3/6/03
9,995 runs
The President of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC), Keith Joseph, has made a passionate appeal for greater support and development of cricket across the region, emphasizing the sport’s historical and cultural significance in forging Caribbean unity and identity.
Speaking on the role of cricket in the region’s past and future, Joseph highlighted how the sport, despite not being invented in the Caribbean, has profoundly influenced the formation of Caribbean societies and national identities. “Cricket has played a major role throughout our region’s history in the forging of our respective countries in multivarious ways,” he noted.
Joseph underscored cricket’s power to unite the Caribbean people under the banner of the West Indies team, fostering regional solidarity despite differences and disputes over selection policies. Historically, cricket provided Caribbean people with a shared commitment to excellence, offering generations of athletes the opportunity to prove their talent and command global respect.
Through the exploits of legendary cricketers such as Learie Constantine and many others, cricket not only gained popularity but also became a platform for political consciousness, particularly in the UK, where Caribbean cricketers influenced movements for Independence across former English colonies. Joseph referenced the work of renowned author CLR James, who documented how cricket shaped the aspirations and struggles of Caribbean people.
Beyond its social and historical impact, Joseph emphasized the economic transformation of cricket, stating that the sport now provides lucrative career opportunities for Caribbean players. “Today, cricket is a major source of economic enterprise, fueling careers and lifestyles that we in the region perhaps never dreamed of being possible,” he said.
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