By: Tito Chapman
Former Kittitian Senator and former West Indies Team Manager, Mr. Ricky Skerritt and President of the St Vincent & The Grenadines Cricket Association Inc., Dr. Kishore Shallow, have issued a press statement announcing their candidacies for the CWI President and Vice President positions in the upcoming elections.
Both candidates’ nominations were supported by the Leeward Islands Cricket Board and the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board respectively.
According to the release:
The experienced Skerritt, 62, and youthful Shallow, 35, both have impressive leadership track records and share a lifelong love of cricket. They have created a robust ten point ‘Cricket First’ plan that identifies the strategies needed to regain global competitiveness and dominance. It focuses on the skill and character development of young players with extensive use of science, technology and innovation.
Team Skerritt and Shallow are proposing a 10 point ‘Cricket First’ plan. As per information disseminated, the 10 point ‘Cricket First’ plan presents strategies to:
1) simplify but strengthen administration, improve the regional franchise programme
2) increase support for younger cricketers through international exposure and a more decentralised High Performance System.
3) realign the team selection criteria with a renewed focus on talent spotting and development.
4) repair the internal and external stakeholder relationships.
Skerritt believes that:
Refocusing attention on the basics of cricket, and helping more young people to enjoy playing and learning from the game, is what must become our daily mission at CWI. We must also help as many of our talented youth as possible to proudly make the transition to regional and international competitiveness, at the highest levels. Every dollar CWI spends in the future should relate in some way to the growth and betterment of all those involved in our beloved game.
Dr. Shallow, Skerritt’s running-mate said he was convinced to join Skerritt as a Vice President candidate:
because he holds the simple view that ‘West Indies cricket is far better than our current status suggests.’
Ricky and I share the philosophy that the actual cricket must be placed first, with absolutely no compromise. West Indies cricket remains an extraordinary global brand which by all calculations has significantly underachieved. By leading a harmonized effort of all stakeholders, we would be well on the pathway to overdue success.
After six years of Dave Cameron’s reign, Skerritt and Shallow expressed that:
His intention to implement sweeping changes to the Democratic process of the decision-making within West Indies is troubling.
If elected, team Skerritt and Shallow will introduce Term Limits, bring about fiscal prudence, push grassroots cricket, build up territorial bodies and develop and enhance coaches.
A total of twelve votes, two each for six member territories, are at stake in the upcoming CWI elections which are slated to take place in Jamaica on March 24.
