Gonsalves knocks Shallow’s leadership of CWI

ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC):

PRIME MINISTER of St Vincent & the Grenadines (SVG), Ralph Gonsalves, has expressed disappointment with the manner in which West Indies cricket has been run under current Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Dr Kishore Shallow.

Speaking during a recent lecture in Dominica, Gonsalves said the West Indies’ teams recent performances left much to be desired.

“I have not seen the sort of changes for the better that I really thought that he would have led,” Gonsalves, a cricket enthusiast, admitted.

“If you look at the performances of the teams, they are below par. The T20, we invest so much money, it’s terrible, and it doesn’t matter what gloss you put on it. You have to look at the results.

“And there are lots and lots of criticisms by experienced administrators and former Test cricketers about how West Indies cricket is going under his leadership. It’s not a positive record at all.

“I genuinely thought that he would have made some changes for the better, but I haven’t seen them,” he further added.

Additionally, Gonsalves said Dr Shallow, who took over the leadership of CWI from Ricky Skerritt in March 2023, after being elected unopposed at its 24th Annual General Meeting in Antigua had done very little to improve the manner in which West Indies cricket was being run.

He accused CWI of operating as an “entrenched private operation” and suggested that cricket needed to be developed in schools across the region.

“The same bureaucratic, lifeless kind of administration. We don’t see anything that they are doing which is impacting the game on the field in some positive way to provide results which the people want,” Gonsalves argued.

“West Indies cricket is a public good, and they’re still running it as though it is an entrenched, private operation. They’ll have engagements with the CARICOM Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on cricket, but that is just window dressing.

“We have to get more resources in order that we can develop cricket from the schools. Governments will put money into it, and we are putting in money, but we need to see a lot more development taking place,” he added.

Interestingly, his comments have come just days ahead of a CWI meeting with its full member shareholders.

At the meeting, which is scheduled for tomorrow, shareholders will vote on implementing the governance reforms recommended by the Wehby Report.

Shareholders will be given the opportunity to again consider the highly anticipated proposals on the duration of the term of office of CWI’s president and vice-president as well as the introduction of term limits.