Challengers for the leadership of Cricket West Indies (CWI), Anand Sanasie and Calvin Hope have outlined in their manifesto, a 100-day plan to improve the sport should they win upcoming elections.
Sanasie, secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and veteran Barbados cricket administrator, Hope, are challenging incumbents President, Ricky Skerritt and Vice-president Dr. Kishore Shallow for the leadership of West Indies cricket.
The AGM is set to take place March 28.
In the manifesto, the challengers broke down their plans into four categories, headed by a COVID-19 pandemic response.
COVID-19
The candidates said that they intend to “immediately secure vaccines and arrange appropriately for players and staff of CWI to be vaccinated.”
They also suggested that full members look into the possibility of staging regional and international matches.
“In each CWI Full Member Territory, engage with respective governments and relevant personnel to agree an appropriate plan for hosting regional and international matches and or tournaments in the CWI Calendar 2021 – 2023.”
They also outlined a system to “Establish and facilitate virtual interaction seminars (via Zoom) for training and motivating players, coaches and match officials.”
Financial measures
Another point that has been on the front burner is the topic of finance and corporate governance. On this, the manifesto indicated a plan to “assess and effectively re-allocate financial resources for more meaningful impact with the administration of cricket and related affairs of CWI.”
The manifesto pointed to the state of CWI finances as mentioned by the incumbent.
“This crisis has put our already poor financial state into ICU. It is like going to the doctor with an illness, and as he is about to prescribe the medication you get a stroke,” Guardian Media quoted Skerritt as saying.
As a result, players and staff were forced to take salary cuts.
The manifesto also suggested a review of CWI’s legal instruments and its other previously commissioned documents in order to take the necessary action for improving the corporate governance of the company.
The duo posited a plan to “review and or re-organize the existing committee structure of the board with new Terms of Reference, as the case to add value to assist the board’s decision making pursuant to its approval policies and objectives of agreed plans.”
The manifesto also mentioned a plan geared at “establishing standard operating procedures for the board and for dealing with Territorial Boards/Shareholders and reporting by committees of the board, to ensure adherence to the corporate governance instruments of the company.”
Fitness
The challengers also indicated that there will be an evaluation and institution of a more equitable and transparent fitness standard regime for players, a modernized personnel development programme for players and the rationalization of the policy.
Dealing with marketing and building stakeholders’ support, team Sanasie/Hope sketched plans to” develop a regional Marketing Communications Programme to highlight and promote the importance of cricket to the region and further build the image of the game among all stakeholders.
They also plan to “engage and encourage partnerships among regional governments and their national tourism agencies to formulate a joint plan for leveraging the value of our cricket.
“This will allow for the sport to [be] used as a viable asset to play a more meaningful role in tourism, enhancing foreign exchange earnings and socioeconomic development,” the manifesto stated.
The challengers also indicated plans to “establish a schedule for meetings with each full member territorial board once a quarter, and their general body once a year, with the aim of addressing pertinent matters related to the affairs of West Indies cricket, and emerging issues.”
In terms of cricket, the challengers have committed to establishing a four-year strategic plan for each West Indies team including the “A” team with the aim of achieving greater competitiveness and excellence in their engagements.
Additionally, they plan to improve and development of club and schools cricket in full member territories, while provisioning special facilitation for the same in the Leeward and Windward Islands.
The pair also proposes appointing a director of women’s cricket development, dedicated to encouraging and developing women’s cricket in full members as well as establishing arrangements with successful past West Indies players to provide meaningful mentorship and performance enhancement support to (i) regional franchise teams; (b) regional youth teams; and (c) West Indies teams.
