Photo Credit: Facebook Photo of Dr Keith Rowley
In an exclusive interview on i95.5FM’s Isports program with host Andre Errol Baptiste, Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, Chairman of the CARICOM subcommittee on cricket, outlined the challenges and goals for West Indies cricket as the region prepares for a new year.
Dr. Rowley stated that CARICOM, in collaboration with Cricket West Indies (CWI), has been working diligently to implement past proposals aimed at revitalizing West Indies cricket.
However, the effort has faced setbacks, including the absence of Barbados and Guyana from the most recent meeting, which prevented achieving a quorum.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Rowley clarified that CARICOM does not intend to manage West Indies cricket but seeks to influence change through moral suasion. He emphasized, “We want to encourage people in this period of the great risk and possibly good rewards that we get to the table, take the available assistance, and work as one body because nobody is going to respect West Indies cricket because we are fractured at the management level. But if we are one solid body talking to the ICC and talking to ourselves, then we can do what is required to improve the game.”
Addressing rumors about the potential dissolution of West Indies cricket, Dr. Rowley dismissed the claims as “rubbish” and accused critics of attempting to undermine the region’s cricket legacy.
He asserted, “The West Indies as a team is a unique entity in world cricket, and the fact that we have dominated the game for two decades should indicate that the model does work. The West Indies has played a role, and we have paid our dues. We need to be treated with more respect and have more resources from the ICC so that we can get those resources to bring our game into line with what is required in today’s sport.”
Dr. Rowley also criticized recent decisions by Cricket West Indies and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), suggesting they have marginalized CARICOM’s role. He noted the absence of CARICOM representatives at recent CPL meetings as an example of limited collaboration and transparency.
Looking ahead, Dr. Rowley announced that the next CARICOM-CWI meeting is planned for Barbados, where he anticipates progress toward strengthening the regional game.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
