SVGCA standing its ground-NSC unmoved

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association (SVGCA) is standing clear of the current pedestrian pace of the current RBTT Premier Division and has sought to put the record straight.{{more}}

In a press release issued last week, the SVGCA stated categorically that it does not own any cricket field in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The SVGCA further said, “Despite dialogue with the National Sports Council, the owners of the grounds, we have never been able to get a long term agreement as which grounds we can use, and over what period.”

At present, one Premier Division match is played per weekend, hence the protracted season.

“More than any other sporting organizations in the state, the SVGCA contributes the most revenue to the NSC, in terms of the rental of grounds”, the release signed by Secretary of the SVGCA Samuel Holder stated.

Bemoaning the untenable situation, Holder wrote on behalf of his executive, “When the SVGCA hosts a regional or international event here; the tourism promotion value is tremendous. It is anticipated that the country would have to spend in excess of EC$750,000 to provide the amount of television coverage this country obtains from the hosting of an ODI, or a regional finals”.

The release points to the saga, dispelling the notion that there is a distinct facilities bias towards cricket.

But Manager of NSC Osbourne Browne, when contacted by SEARCHLIGHT for a response, is diametrically opposed to the views of the SVGCA.

A surprised Browne said that it was the fault of the SVGCA, who failed to get the 2008 season off on time.

“Their application for the use of the grounds was extremely late”, Browne recalled.

“They never got started until the third month (March). In fact, their first two fixtures, the umpires were not even informed”, Browne said.

The NSC Manager added, “The reality of the situation is that the poor condition of the Sion Hill and Stubbs Playing Fields as inherited from the LOC and it did not make sense using these grounds.”

“We went ahead and bit the bullet with Stubbs and eventually we had to close that field”, Browne said.

“I took the President and the Games Secretary to get a first hand look at the grounds and they appeared to understand the situation”, Browne reasoned.

President of the SVGCA is Julian Jack, with Thaddeus Seymour, the association’s Games Secretary.

Browne came to the conclusion that the SVGCA is acting in manner as if they are “primadonnas”.

“All the facilities are multi sports and priority must be given for international tournaments like world cup football matches over domestic competitions”, the NSC Manager pointed out.

According to Browne, “they (the SVGCA) are intolerant of other sports.”

“If for minor inconveniences for the general good, they are behaving in that manner, I must say they are just intolerant”, he reiterated.

“I can’t see their point as we have even facilitated them in their batting clinic that is currently taking place”, Browne ended. (RT)