It may have come as a big surprise to fans of West Indies cricket in Guyana to read of the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) decision to terminate the third Test slated for June 26-30, 2014 at the National Stadium in Guyana.
This match would likely be Chris Gayle’s final Test match and Shiv Chanderpaul’s unprecedented 156th Test. What an occasion, and location – a country where Gayle has found his second home in the Caribbean and where Chanderpaul, one of the Caribbean’s greatest sons, emerged.
But now all of this grandeur has dissipated owing to an organisation that shows all the signs of a cartel. The WICB has moved the match on the grounds of its apparent disagreement with Guyana’s Cricket Administration Bill.
It must be noted that 90 per cent of Guyanese, served by their parliamentarians in the form of APNU and the PPP, voted in favour of this long-awaited bill. The will of the Guyanese people has been declared and must be respected.
Disrespectful WICB
The attitude shown to a sitting Caribbean head of state by the Whycliffe Cameron-led WICB administration in the past few days is so contemptuous and disrespectful that it also insults all Guyanese and all Caribbean people by extension. Two of six board members of the WICB have adopted legislation similar to that of Guyana’s Cricket Administration Bill, but these countries have not suffered any penalties over the years when their bills were enacted.
Thus, this punitive approach by the management of the WICB towards Guyana raises tremendous suspicions, because it becomes very apparent that the WICB fears new directors emanating from Guyana who may or not support the WICB’s current approach.
This situation, therefore, begs the question: What is the WICB seeking to protect from new entrants to this elite group? Is it the contentious deal struck among the Australian, Indian and English cricket boards which saw the WICB duly supporting? Were garnishes given? Is there an illicit award of international matches to particular countries based on a favoured voting approach?
JEWAN PERSAUD
East Coast Demerara, Guyana
I think that Guyana should now make moves to be an independent cricketing nation and move away from the West Indies
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To establish and sustain West Indies cricket as the sporting symbol of the West Indies, and the West Indies team as the dominant team in international cricket.
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To develop and promote West Indies cricket for the benefit and enjoyment of the West Indian people, its clients and other stakeholders by procuring a consistently high-quality, successful and international West Indian product.
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West Indies Cricket Board Inc., P.O. Box 616 W, St. John’s, Antigua
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Mr Cameron, your mission statement is contrary to your actions.
Guyana is a member of the WICB and so is Barbados.
Guyana plays an integral part in West Indian Cricket.
By awarding a Test Match to Barbados after taking it away from Guyana is in essence pitting one member against the other by your design.
In the name of Unity, Sir, please get all the members in one room and come to a sensible conclusion.
In Guyana, we know all about those architects of selfish divisions.
In relation to that letter where it states that WICB acting like Cartel well it is correct…These guys believe that WICB belongs to them…So to keep the status quo,they will go to extreme decisions to keep it..Right now they have displayed their arrogance and over step their bounds and will pay the penality..