Cricket affiliates faced with decision – making

Affiliates of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association Inc. will tomorrow make one of the most crucial decisions in the history of the administration of the sport here, when they elect a new executive for the next two years.

Significant to the affiliates task, is that election of a new president, to head the organisation.

Affiliates over the years have been accustomed to retain a president until he says no more. History shows that Milton Cato served from 1946 to 1963; Dr Gideon Cordice, 1963 to 1988; Lennox John, 1988 to 2005 and Julian Jack, 2005 to 2014.

So tomorrow’s election of the president is something new for them, as it is the first that the matter of term limits has taken effect.

Thus, affiliates have to satisfy their conscience, whether either of the three presidential candidates- Daniel Mc Millan, Dougal James or Rommel Currency, has the capacity to head an organisation that is at the crossroads.

They have already interfaced with the three, who, in the run up to the elections, have unveiled their plans to take the sport from where it is currently positioned.

One of the three will have to take the reins from the high profile – Dr Kishore Shallow, who was in the top seat from 2014 to now, having completed the maximum of three two-year successive terms, a total of six years, as prescribed by the association’s constitution.

The next president will however be taking over an organisation that can be considered in a good financial standing, as over the last few years, some significant takings were made, thanks to the hosting of regional cricket tournaments here.

Therefore, at the AGM, affiliates will have to ask themselves some pertinent questions.

They have to ask themselves if Shallow and company have advanced the sport enough in the last six years and if what is needed is just a new president and group to persons simply to continue that path.

Continuity is key, as for the past six years there have been some well-placed partnerships that have been established and maintaining such, are imperative for the advancement and image of cricket.

Otherwise, affiliates have to answer if it is time for a brand new set of persons to take charge of the sports. In short, are they willing to clean the house and allow some fresh faces to be ushered in.

The real question though, are there really new persons willing and capable to fill the respective positions?

Are we going see tomorrow a reshuffling of the pack as the any number can play notion takes effect?

Those who are charged with giving that vote of confidence to the candidates who place their names in the ring for the possible election, must do so without bias, club affiliation, but on merit.

But whilst much of the focus will be on who is elected to lead, Mc Millan, James or Currency, and rightly so, some attention must be paid to the supporting cast.

Election of capable persons is most important, we have to take on that maturity, to place in the respective port folios, the person who has the acumen to fill the position.

The word is out that some affiliates are bent on dismantling the perceived cliques that have developed over the past six years in the national cricket organisation.

Unfortunately, many of our national sporting associations have taken on the operations of political parties, in which partisan attitudes take precedence, rather than taking the moral route.

Whatever is the outcome of tomorrow’s elections, all elected individuals must render themselves true servants of the sport and not just holders of positions.

In light of the reconfiguration of the world, occasioned by the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, sports administration cannot be business as usual, as one foresees even more trying and uncertain times before us.

The duty of all who have the power to install the new executive of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association Inc. for the 2020 to 2022 term, must do so with their head and not where their heart leads them.