ST. JOHNS, Antigua – Honourable Dr. Julian R. Hunte, the new President of the West Indies Cricket Board, at the Annual General Meeting, on July 29 gave his first official remarks.
“I am honored to have been elected President of this important regional organization and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute further to the organization and development of West Indies cricket”.
“I thank outgoing President Ken Gordon for the contribution he has made to this Board and the organization of cricket in the Region and to wish him every success in his future endeavors. I have said privately to Ken that I hope it will be possible to consult him from time to time”.
“Thanks to him and his Directors, the WICB is now in a much better financial position than it was when he became President two years ago. However, although we have just come out of the red, we must continue to practice fiscal planning and discipline while we seek to mobilize resources for cricket development. One of the major concerns in this regard is the credibility of the WICB. This goes beyond our public image and strikes at the heart of the character of the corporation. It is a matter that we must address since our ability to attract additional support, especially from the private sector, is dependent on both our reputation as an organization and the success of our teams”.
“Our stakeholders represented by the Caribbean cricket supporters and spectators, the Governments, civil society and non government organizations, the media, and our own shareholders are not satisfied with the WICB’s performance on and off the field. The WICB brand has diminished in value and is in desperate need of redefinition and revitalization”.
“There is a perception in the public domain that West Indies cricket is at a low level both on and off the field. Indeed some say that the Board has outlived its usefulness in terms of taking West Indies cricket to a high level. I definitely do not share this view and would not be here today if I did. Suffice it to say, however, that any organization that is eighty years old, particularly in today’s world of globalization and rapid change needs to look at itself from time to time in order to ensure its continued relevance. Periodically, several cricketing countries have had to retool to lift their game to high standards e.g. Australia, South Africa, India, and England, to name a few”.
“It is in this spirit that I welcome the work of the Governance Committee consisting of Most Honourable P.J. Patterson (Chairman), Sir Alister Mc Intyre and Dr. Ian Mc Donald and await the Committee’s Report which, with your agreement, I will circulate to Member Associations throughout the region for their comments. I will then convene a Special Meeting of the Board to discuss the Report and chart the way forward. I thank the Committee for the work done to date and look forward to receiving the Report”.
In the meantime we have the responsibility of managing West Indies cricket and dealing with the many challenges associated with it. Some of the current major issues are:
* Re-establishing the Development Committee as a number one priority of our Strategic Plan including the introduction of a professional league.
* Settling of all outstanding issues and defining the way forward for the Board and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) to work together in a unified, harmonious, and mutually beneficial manner.
* Developing the West Indies Women’s Cricket Federation and integrating it into the WICB.
* Establishing the West Indies Cricket Academy.
* Establishing an acceptable relationship with Sir Allen Stanford’s 20/20 organization.
* Reorganizing the Secretariat after conducting a professional Management Audit with a view to successfully implementing the plans of WICB.
* Working with Digicel and our other Sponsors to ensure mutually beneficial results.
* Implementing the CARICOM Lottery Project for the development of Cricket.
* Ensuring that the requisite Committees of the Board are appointed, funded and function effectively.
* Paying special attention to the finances of the Board to ensure the sustainable viability of West Indies Cricket.
In order to deal effectively with these tasks so that we all understand where we are going, I propose that we organize a Special Meeting for Directors, the management team of the Board and representatives of the Special Members i.e. Players Association, Women’s Federation, and Umpires Association.
As you are aware there is provision for four Non-Member Directors on the Board. It is important that we fill these positions urgently with persons who can add value and bring special and relevant skills to our organization.
As we move ahead with our focus on cricket development, it is important that we make a special effort to reach out to all the stakeholders of West Indies cricket – the private and public sectors, the players and officials, and most of all the fans. West Indies cricket is communal property and it must become more inclusive instead of exclusive. We have to continue to find ways and means of involving the many who love this game and want to see us regain the pinnacle of global success in the sport of cricket.
In conclusion let me thank you all again for the confidence you have placed in me as we, as a team, together execute the mandate that has been given to us by the people of the region.
I thank you.
Dr. Julian R. Hunte
President of the West Indies Cricket Board
