NSC answers the SVGCA

The National Sports Council is holding its ground against accusations leveled at its operations by the President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association (SVGCA) Julian Jack.{{more}}

In a press release last week, dated February 3, Jack called on the National Sports Council (NSC) to show a greater appreciation for his organisation.

In a scathing attack, Jack said that the NSC needs to show more respect and understanding for the SVGCA, stating: “We are the best customers of the National Sports Council, but that is not reflected in the response to our needs.”

But Manager of the NSC Osbourne Browne is calling Jack’s allegations unfair and unfounded.

Browne told SEARCHLIGHT on Tuesday: “The National Sports Council has a much larger role and responsibility to the sporting public, and it views all sports associations as being equal. It cannot show preference for any individual sport, and rightly so.”

“All sporting facilities in the state are multi-purpose…no one association has a monopoly, and the NSC will not be bullied or dictated to by any sport association, even one with such brandished muscle as the SVG Cricket Association,” Browne said.

“Funnily enough, Jack’s press release has not once identified a single issue of disrespect, lack of appreciation or of understanding, for which he unjustly accused the National Sports Council,” the NSC Manager continued.

Jack in his release said that the NSC benefits from direct revenue in excess of EC$100,000 through ground rentals for local and regional matches, and overtime payment for ground staff, to go with EC$25,000 from the Digicel test match last year.

However, Browne responded: “This is both misleading and untruthful, and payment for groundsmen’s services and ground rental should not be perceived as the provisions of revenues, especially when that is presented as though it were a grant.”

“Furthermore, payments for ground staff services are made to the ground staff – the council does not benefit in any way,” Browne continued.

Jack’s release also said: “Through the efforts of the SVGCA, the country will earn in excess of EC$2 million from cricket activities this year.”

Browne described Jack’s comments in this regard as “overstatements and hyperbole at best”.

He thought thirty percent was a more realistic figure.

Jack also noted that the 2010 season was already off to a late start, because the NSC grounds were not ready and available for action, adding that this was disappointing.

In his counteraction, Browne revealed that in a meeting with Jack on February 3, he advised the local Cricket boss that the stipend paid to the ground staff for weekend work is inadequate and that there are labour issues involved.

Browne added that he further recommended to the association’s Executive that the local season should not commence before those important issues are resolved.

Browne said that Jack was parochial in his views aired on local television, where he stated that the facilities which were upgraded for the hosting of warm up matches of the 2007 ICC World Cup were for Cricket only.

The NSC’s Manager reminded Jack that he was part of the Local Organising Committee and he knows that it was the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and not the ICC which contributed approximately EC$54 Million to the upgrades.