Despite stating that the members of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will be the ones to decide whether he will seek another term as WICB president, Claude Raphael, former Guyana Cricket Board selector says that incumbent Dave Cameron has already began making moves to ensure he stays put.
The WICB Annual General Meeting (WGM) is scheduled for next year and, according to Raphael, moves are already underway to ensure that the embattled Cameron is re-elected.
Two years ago Joel Garner, Barbados Cricket Association president and WICB Director, mounted a spirited challenge for the post of WICB president but lost. Following his victory Cameron had told the Antigua Observer earlier this year that the membership would decide if he should seek another term of office.
“If the shareholders decide they would like me to continue next year, then so be it, but I am (not) doing this thing to be re-elected,” he had said.
“My own view on things is would the shareholders — the territorial boards — want me to continue to lead West Indies cricket (considering) where we are at today? We will be publishing our accounts in the next couple of weeks and soon we have our AGM and our accounts are published, but for the first time in recent West Indies (history), outside of the World Cup, we actually made a substantial surplus,” he had said then.
Back in 2015, Cameron had eight of the 12 votes from the WICB affiliates.
“President Cameron, from all indications, seems to be more adept at the game of chess than cricket by his recent moves which are strategically calculated and well-orchestrated to concretise his victory in 2017,” said Raphael.
Asked to elaborate Raphael said: “President Cameron and his board have deliberately planned for Barbadians to benefit more than any other territory in opportunity and corresponding financial gains by appointing them to numerous high positions such as manager and coach for all WI teams including the ladies.
“With the exception of the ladies team, they also have the captaincy and vice-captaincy of all West Indies representative teams, along with at least six (6) players on each team.
“The Chairman of Selectors and Chief Cricket Operations Officer are also Barbadians. Garner’s appointment as Manager of the WI senior team provides the icing on the cake, with this move serving to prevent Garner from challenging again,” Raphael declared.
In 2015, Raphael said that initially, the Jamaicans and Leeward Islands directors were not supportive of Cameron.
Raphael feels that the appointments of Jimmy Adams of Jamaica, as a replacement for Richard Pybus and the appointments of Travis Dowlin and Lockhart Sebastian as selectors, might be inducements aimed at keeping the votes of Guyana and the Windwards Island intact.
“Under these circumstances the Leewards Islands and Trinidad do not pose a threat since four out of six territories will guarantee victory and in any case, the Leewards Islands government seems supportive of the inefficient WICB administration, given the recent public pronouncements and actions of their Prime Minister,” he said.
In January this year, Cameron had told the Antigua Observer that one of his objectives was to make the West Indies Test team one that West Indies would be proud of.
“My objective is that by 2017 we would have a Test team to be proud of and that’s what we are working towards. We have the World T20 (women) here in 2018 and so my job is to ensure that I put the West Indies Cricket Board in a firm and a very strong position for the future that’s sustainable.”
The next WICB elections will take place in March next year.
