WICB a bunch of bigots
Published:Saturday | February 25, 2012 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
In my view, your editorial of Friday, February 24, 2012 titled 'Cricket, governance and diplomacy', you have got it all wrong - very wrong.
To use the words of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), you are "misinformed". Read your Letter of the Day and Orville Higgins' column, which were excellent and on the point.
Frankly, as a fan of West Indian cricket and a Jamaican, I was very heartened when I heard the news snippet of our prime minister's remarks. "At last," I thought. Jamaica has been suffering insult after insult at the hands of the WICB, and neither the very weak Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) nor the Government of Jamaica had said or done anything, and if they had, it certainly was not apparent.
It is not just the issue with Chris Gayle. It is shocking that Jamaica, which is the most populous of the competing islands and whose team is currently the most successful at the longer form of the game, should, without any credible reason, not be given a fixture in the upcoming series against Australia.
And not a whimper from the JCA or, for that matter, The Gleaner, which now sees fit to lecture the prime minister on diplomacy. Diplomacy with whom? A bunch of bigots who have hijacked West Indies cricket and who feel that if they are the slightest bit criticised, they are to mete out despotic judgement and punishment to whoever dares to cross their path?
Board must go
However, if you kowtow to them, you are favoured with positions even beyond your capabilities. The latest response to the prime minister is in keeping with this modus operandi.
The board members have been allowed for so long to act as despots that they now feel that they are so big and powerful that they can dare chastise our PM for expressing her views.
Maybe you should be lecturing WICB on governance. West Indies cricket is dying, and a good part of the blame for that is linked to its poor governance.
It is time this board goes. We need our revolution - our 'Cricket Spring'. If we have a champion in our PM to bring this about, I say, 'All hail to Portia!'
MARGARET MORGAN
Issue: Was Portia Right to Speak Out?