Cricket Board collects Stanford $$

The presentation was made at the VIP Lounge, Piarco International Airport. The funds will assist the TTCB with facilities improvement, practice fields and equipment.

A number of West Indies cricketing greats attended the event including Sir Vivian Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Wes Hall, Curtly Ambrose, Richie Richardson, Lance Gibbs and Joel Garner.

All eight, as well as Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Everton Weekes, Courtney Walsh, Andy Roberts, Clive Lloyd and Ian Bishop, comprise the Board of Directors which is headed by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Stanford Group, R Allen Stanford.

The former star players will act as ambassadors for the event, advancing the philosophy behind the event, assisting with the promotion of the competition throughout the region and supporting the participating countries.

Stanford, a Texan billionaire, was unable to attend yesterday’s function but, in a written statement, acknowledged that Trinidad and Tobago’s participation in the 20/20 matches is critically important.

"I congratulate you on your decision as we do our part to breathe new life into a sport which has inspired us and brought us so much pride and happiness in years gone by. The money that we are dispensing is meant to impact the sport where we need it most, at its grassroots," he stated.

"This is the best way that I can see us assisting the WICB, by laying the framework for a cricket legacy that will outlive us all."

Stanford, who has injected over US$28 million for the inaugural tournament said professional sports is a multi-billion dollar business.

"Whether we like it or not, West Indies cricket has to get with the programme," Stanford stated. "We have no choice but to approach the sport using a modern business model. Then and only then will we see success."

In a promotional venture Stanford, who is also the owner of Caribbean Star and Caribbean Sun Airlines, purchased a state-of-the-art Bombardier Q 300 Dash 8 Model 315 50-seater aircraft, which has been painted with the Stanford 20/20 logo.

Besides the US$100,000 donation for capital development, each board will be granted a monthly stipend of US$15,000 for the maintenance and upkeep of their respective facilities and the financial support of their players and coaches.

And two nutritionists and four professional athletic trainers will be hired shortly to travel around the region in a drive to prepare the teams physically for the contest.

The event features 19 Caribbean nations (hosts Antigua/Barbuda, Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Maarten, St Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, US Virgin Islands) competing for a US$1 million jackpot.