Was TTCBC action right?

THE EDITOR: A striking thing about our nomination of a candidate for President of the West Indian Cricket Board (WICB) is the violation of fundamental principles. The events seem clear. On June 5, Jackie Hendricks, President of Jamaica Cricket Association, asks Alloy Lequay, President of TT Cricket Board of Control (TTCBC) to support their nomination of Willie Rodriguez of TT. Lequay promises to tell Richard de Souza about it. De Souza is our representative on the WICB and is its Treasurer. On June 6, the next day, de Souza supports the WICB Executive in recommending Chetram Singh of Guyana. On June 9, Lequay tells Hendricks that de Souza gave a commitment to the Board for Singh and we stand by that. Questions: Unless de Souza has plenipotentiary powers on WICB or prior instructions, isn’t it ‘moral’ procedure that he consult with the body he represents before voting on major issues?

Does this ‘non-moral’ act on his part impose on us a ‘moral commitment’ to support him rather than reprimand him? Must we accept the premise or statement of the WICB Executive that it was “in the best interest of WICB” to nominate somebody currently on the Board? It may be in the best interest of the present Board but is it necessarily in the best interest of West Indian cricket? Isn’t that for each country to decide for itself? Further, in the interest of TT and West Indies cricket, couldn’t somebody from TTCBC check with him about Jamaica’s request? (Surely, all QPCC vs TTCBC animosity would have dissipated long ago, at least in the interest of TT cricket?) Was the action of our Board ‘morally’ and ‘politically’ right? In clubs, business, Government, etc, whether fast track or slow march, time and good sense have developed principles and procedures. When these are violated, trouble flies in.

VAN STEWART
Diego Martin