It’s time for us to own West Indian Cricket!

I have been watching the latest crisis in West Indian cricket unfold with much anger and sadness.  It seems that the members of the current West Indies Cricket Board intend to send us into cricket oblivion with unrepentant haste.  Like a Greek tragedy, these men seem incapable of recognising and responding to the will of the people. Unfortunately, similar travesties have occurred many times before in West Indian cricket history and this just makes the present situation even harder to tolerate.  We expect our leaders to learn from their mistakes, or at least to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors, and yet the mistakes just continue, decade after decade — only the names of the parties involved seem to change. 

The problem
The Board needs adequate funds in order to manage and develop our professional and youth cricket.  Past and present Boards have encouraged single sponsorship deals with foreign companies to provide these funds.  Digicel, the most recent of the sponsors, believes that its five-year 20 million US dollar deal gives them the right to deny our professional cricketing athletes the ability to benefit financially from their God given talents refined by years of work and sacrifice. This is not reasonable nor is it acceptable to the people of the Caribbean. The Board’s mandate is to protect and promote the welfare and the future of West Indian cricket.  By signing such an onerous contract with Digicel this Board has failed to carry out this mandate and this failure lies at the heart of the current impasse.

The solution
I think that it is time to think outside the box.  I accept that my proposal cannot resolve the current crisis in time for the start of the South African tour of the West Indies.  However, it can be up and running before our players have to leave on their next tour abroad. Imagine if we, the people of the Caribbean, decided to match Digicel’s offer?  Imagine if we could surpass their offer?  The ICC, as the international governing body of cricket, states on its website that its main function is to promote the “business of cricket.’’  The business of cricket.  The ICC is therefore duty bound to support our endeavours.  If we could raise sufficient funds we could control the destiny of West Indian cricket.  There would be more than enough money to recruit and train and pay future players so as to regain the number one ranking in the cricketing world.  Bear with me as I make my argument.

I propose the establishment of a West Indian Cricket Company (WICC).  This new company will issue 1.2 million shares and each share will be sold for 100 US dollars.  Shares will be made available throughout the Caribbean and to Caribbean communities abroad.  An equitable distribution of shares to individuals can be arranged if the share offer is over subscribed, i.e. if demand outstrips supply.  This is done all the time overseas when large state-owned utility companies are being privatised.  Also, it should be fairly simple to ensure that each island receives an amount of shares which is proportional to their population.  If, however, any shares remain unsold after this initial offering they can be placed on the open market for sale with the restriction that commercial enterprises cannot hold more than 30% of the total number of shares available. 

This share offering will generate 120 million US dollars.  This money properly managed will provide sufficient funds so that we never have to go ‘cap in hand’ to any single sponsor ever again.  The players will be allowed their private endorsement deals.  The West Indian Cricket Board will make money from ticket sales and merchandising.  Those of us who invest stand to make a healthy profit as the West Indies team regains its top world ranking with a resultant increase in the value of our shares. Some may ask — why so large a figure?  There are three reasons.  Firstly, 120 million US dollars ensures that we have adequate funds for our cricket academy, for our initial running costs and to allow for investment of the funds so that the interest generated will always produce a sufficient income for cricket.  Secondly, it ensures that no one investor can exert undue influence on us because we know that no one company will ever invest so much money on their own.  The last reason is a sentimental reason.  The number of our players who were refused eligibility on sponsorship grounds multiplied by Digicel’s offer equals 120 million US dollars.  I have not included Brian Lara in this calculation because he was actually offered a place at the last minute, although I do applaud his integrity in refusing the invitation.  Selling 1.2 million shares is really not that hard when you consider that individuals, not companies, can buy as many shares as they wish. 
We cannot ask our governments to save our cricket; we must do this for ourselves. 

The new Board
The shareholders of this new company will elect the members of the West Indies Cricket Board.  One share, one vote.  This means that you and I, as shareholders, will determine who manages Caribbean cricket.  Any person, who is a citizen of the region and who feels that they have suitable experience, can submit their name for election to this new Board.  Furthermore, if irreconcilable differences arise between any member of this Board and any of the other main stakeholders, the matter can be discussed and voted on in public by calling an “Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders’.  In this way, Board members can be held to account for the crises they create and removed from office if so warranted.  After all, players who don’t perform are dropped from the team all the time.

The vision
Do you remember how you felt when the West Indies won the recent ICC tournament in England?  Do you remember how you felt as the sun set and the two B’s, Bradshaw and Browne, saw us home to that victory?  Do you remember how proud you felt when Sir Garfield Sobers achieved the world record for the most runs in a test innings?  Or when Brian Charles Lara achieved that feat in 1994 and then repeated it ten years later in 2004?  What about Rohan Kanhai’s or Sir Vivian Richards’ skill with the bat?  What about Michael Holding’s skill with the ball?  Do you remember?  Do you remember?
Let us bring back the glory days.  I see hope and not despair for the future of West Indian cricket.  It only requires that each dedicated Caribbean cricket fan be willing to make a modest financial investment. I would be happy to read your comments, please send them to:  st-raphaels-health@tstt.net. Or start a petition that can be sent to the Caricom Cricket Committee, c/o the Prime Minister of Grenada, or write to WIPA, c/o the President.  Let your voices be heard.