West Indies cricket legends are calling for the “immediate resignation” of the Dave Cameron-led West Indies Cricket Board, in line with the recommendations of the WICB / CARICOM Governance Review Panel.
The legends, which include Sir Gary Sobers, Sir Wes Hall, Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Andy Roberts, Deryck Murray, Charlie Griffith, Desmond Haynes, West Indies captain Darren Sammy and sports psychologist Dr. Rudy Webster, held a meeting recently at the Spice Island Beach Resort in Grenada where they insisted on the establishment of an interim board and the creation of a new structure to replace the WICB and manage the regional game.
In a statement released after the meeting, the legends called for the WICB to honor a promise it made to accept the recommendations of the WICB / CARICOM Governance Report.
The WICB had given a commitment to implement the recommendations during a meeting with the legends and CARICOM chairman Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell in Grenada a year ago, but have since been accused of reneging.
“We the Legends, call on the WICB to honor its solemn promise to Caribbean prime ministers in April 2015, to accept and implement the recommendations of the WICB / CARICOM Governance Review Panel — the immediate resignation of current directors, the establishment of an interim board, and the design of a new board structure,” the legends said in the statement,
The statement also called on CARICOM to appoint an independent auditor to carry out a detailed forensic report of the board and requested that sponsors of West Indies cricket make good governance a condition for financial support.
“Continual backing of an inefficient board and an out-of-date structure will result in irreparable damage to West Indies cricket,” said the statement.
During the meeting in Grenada, the legends also held talks with Prime Minister Mitchell, chairman of CARICOM’s sub-committee on Cricket Governance.
“We are satisfied that CARICOM has no intention of engaging in the day-to-day management of West Indies cricket. CARICOM’s aim is to help create a structure and an enabling environment in which West Indies cricket can develop and flourish,” the statement pointed out.
