West Indies Cricket Board, Caribbean Community join to establish panel to review structure

WICB President Dave Cameron

St. John's (Antigua), April 26 (IANS) The governance structure of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will come under review once again, this time as a joint initiative of the WICB and Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

In a joint statement on Saturday, the two entities said they had agreed to set up a panel comprising eminent Caribbean persons to examine the problem-plagued structure with the view of "reversing the current negative trends in the sport and its governance", reports CMC.

The move is the latest attempt to arrest a worrying trend of crises in the regional administration of the game and was agreed upon during last Monday's meeting between the WICB and the CARICOM Cricket Governance Committee held in Grenada.

That meeting was attended by CARICOM chairman, Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie, CARICOM Secretary General Ambassador Irwin La Rocque and three Prime Ministers - St. Vincent and the Grenadines' Ralph Gonsalves, Grenada's Keith Mitchell and Antigua and Barbuda's Gaston Browne.

Mitchell, who chairs CARICOM Cricket Governance Committee, said the latest move was important in advancing cricket in the region.

"We were able to meet with the directors of WICB to express the view of the necessity for change and we have reached a conclusion in that respect which will chart the way forward. We will be working together with the WICB and all concerned to move West Indies cricket forward," Mitchell said.

WICB president Dave Cameron also attended the meeting along with vice-president Emmanuel Nanthan, chief executive Michael Muirhead, corporate secretary Verlyn Faustin and the board's directorship.

Cameron, who fended off heavy criticism of his leadership to gain re-election last month, said there was a mutual understanding of what was required to address the issues in West Indies cricket.

"The meeting was very productive and positive. We have agreed on a way forward. We have a shared vision and all of us want to see West Indies perform at the highest standard. We are committed to making this happen," the Jamaican said.

The panel will comprise a lawyer, a legendary West Indies cricketer, an academic, someone from within the private sector and an individual with a keen understanding of WICB.

Mitchell and Cameron will consult on the relevant individuals to fill these roles and will also ratify the panel's terms of reference when they are drafted by La Rocque. The panel will have a lifespan of three months and is expected to submit its findings within that time.

The WICB has come under fire in recent months for their handling of the abandoned tour of India which saw the Windies one-day team walk out of the six-match limited overs series last October.

That forced the cancellation of the subsequent three-Test tour and resulted in the Indian cricket board (BCCI) lodging a $42 million compensation claim and also threatening legal action.