Dear Editor,
I understand the President of the WICB visited Guyana not so long ago. I would expect Dr Hunte’s visit was in connection with the crisis facing the GCB administration and cricket in the country.
A strong leader is realistic about what is within his control and what is not, and so will make thoughtful choices about which path to take, based on his knowledge of the issues at hand. Dr Hunte came to Guyana with the expectation, I hope, to settle the two year impasse that has stalled the progress of Guyana cricket administration over the period mentioned, and which interfered with the growth and development of our young cricketers in their game. Was there any success in the discussions? Could we look forward to a solution for a recovery, so that conditions would be better now and in the future?
I understand coming out of the meetings there were threats of withdrawing international cricket from Guyana, if the Guyana Government uses state influence for the sole purpose of bringing an end to the two-year old dispute and “not to take control of the administration of cricket.” What has the WICB done over the period?
I am asking readers to roll back the years and look at government policies in some of the issues pertaining to problems in sport. Does anyone recall the Robin Jackman issue, an English player on an English tour of the Caribbean, and James Wren Gilkes in athletics, who was preparing for the two hundred metre race in the Olympics? All Guyana thought we would have had the gold in that year.
Even though the English withdrew their team from that match fixed for Guyana, the ICC continued to set their fixtures for matches in Guyana, so the decision to fix international matches on a Caribbean tour does not stop at Dr Hunte, and the world body governing the Olympics did not stop Guyana from competing in future Olympic Games.
Would the WICB stop competing against countries whose cricket is under government control?
Is it going to let the ICC know that no WICB teams would take part in fixtures set for matches against those countries? Would the WICB tell the governments of the countries of the Caribbean that there would be no international matches, because they are controlling the venues?
The ICC gave two years for their member countries to put their issues in order, so as to be free of government control. The WICB should use that period to establish a business relationship with the owners of the venues in the Caribbean, so as to prevent any embarrassment that could surface by the year 2013. Let consistency in decision-making be their rule of thumb.
The WICB seems to be badly misinformed, for the Government of Guyana is not trying to take control of cricket administration in the country, all they are trying to do is to save cricket from its present destructive elements. Dr. Hunte should note that an effective leader is a partner; he is always part of the solution, and never internationally part of the problem.
Yours faithfully,
Malcolm Peters
Former President of Berbice
Cricket Board
Former Vice-President
of Guyana Cricket Board
