WICB holds historic AGM

The West Indies Cricket Board held an historic Annual General Meeting in St Lucia on Saturday, March 25.{{more}}

For the first time in the Board’s history all the Territorial Boards were represented at the meeting by non-directors.

With the exception of the Barbados Cricket Association, WICB Directors have traditionally represented their Territorial Boards at AGMs.

Each Territorial Board, except the Guyana Cricket Board, nominated two representatives to attend the meeting. No representative of the Guyana Cricket Board attended as a result of the situation in Guyana.

“This historic development marks a significant milestone in the progress and development of the West Indies Cricket Board; it allows for greater accountability to our members,” Dr Hunte remarked.

“I am particularly pleased that the members saw it fitting to have their AGM representatives be non-directors at a time when we are in deep reflection on the governance structure of West Indies cricket,” Dr. Hunte added.

Also in attendance were representatives of the West Indies Players Association and the West Indies Cricket Umpires Association.

Dr Hunte presented to the meeting his report on the activities of the Board, along with the financial statements and auditor’s report for the financial year October 2010 – September 2011.

At that meeting, it was decided that the Board will give the Territorial Boards more time to consider the report on the Board’s governance structure as prepared by the WICB Governance Committee. Territorial Boards will now have until May to have further consultations with their various constituencies. Charles Wilkin, Chairman of the Governance Committee, had presented the report to the Board at the last meeting in February.

The Board had decided then that the report, given that it dealt with the core issue of governance, be discussed with the Territorial Boards for their consideration.

The report provides a menu of recommendations aimed at an overhaul of the governance structure of the WICB.

In addition to the chairman, the WICB Governance Committee also comprises Grenville Phillips and Elson Crick.

The WICB has made the full report available to the public via its website at http://www.windiescricket.com/governancereport

With regard to the Guyana team’s participation in the WICB Regional 4 Day Tournament, the Board directed the WICB management to put a process in place to ensure that a representative Guyana team, endorsed by the WICB can continue to participate in the tournament.

The Board was advised that out-of-favour cricketer Chris Gayle has signed the CARICOM brokered agreement, but with a ‘side letter’ from Gayle. Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves provided the Board with a copy of Gayle’s ‘side letter’. The matter was discussed and the Board said it will respond to Gonsalves shortly.