Dear Editor,
I would like to begin by asking the question, what more must Veerasammy Permaul do to make the West Indies cricket team? Here is a young man that has done everything asked of him whether in batting, bowling or fielding; he excels in all three disciplines, yet cannot find a place in the Test, one day or 20/20 squad.
It is a shame and disgrace that Permaul who took the most wickets in the recently concluded regional cricket competitions was overlooked for a young and inexperienced Jomel Warrican in the Test squad to tour Sri Lanka. The same goes for Fudadin. How on earth can Shai hope to be picked before Assad Fudadin? This young man was injured and although now fully fit cannot find himself in the Test team. Both Permaul and Fudadin should have been in the Test squad and one day squad.
The selection policy of the West Indies selectors reeks of insularity. No wonder West Indies cricket is in turmoil, and we are languishing eighth and ninth respectively in the Test and one day rankings. When coach Simmons can shout “outside interference” in the selection of West Indies teams then no wonder Guyanese cricketers are given a raw deal. And it seems like Clive Lloyd is a rubberstamp Chairman of Selectors. I thought he would look out for Guyanese cricketers, but he is giving the impression that he is more interested in the perks which come with the position. As for the officials of the Guyana Cricket Board they are no better than the selectors. They too only seem interested in the perks of office and don’t care a damn about our cricketers. Our cricketers are not getting any representation from the Guyana Cricket Board, unlike their counterparts from Trinidad and Tobago who are being vigorously represented.
Editor, West Indies cricket needs to be rescued from the tentacles of these self-serving people who profess to have West Indies cricket at heart, but are only destroying it every day. I would therefore like to recommend that we the people of the Caribbean through the Caricom heads of government fired the entire WICB and set up an interim body to run West Indies cricket on a short-term basis until we reform all aspects of the governance of West Indies cricket as is normally done in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. I do hope our heads of government are listening and will act quickly to save West Indies cricket.
Yours faithfully,
Imtiaz Baccus
