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Minister for Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange has told newly elected West Indies Cricket Association president Ricky Skerritt she has two main concerns she wants the regional body to address as a priority.
Miss Grange spoke to Mr Skerrit today, who visited her office in New Kingston.
“Firstly, I want the CWI to place more emphasis on developing cricket at a national level while working towards the further development of West Indies cricket.”
“The West Indies Cricket Association should invest more in cricket in the various countries to which the West Indies cricket team belongs,” the sports minister said, “and must focus more on grassroots cricket, right down to nursery and prep schools.”
The Minister said there was also an urgent need for a greater focus on women’s cricket in the region. “There is no real women’s cricket league in the Caribbean. Jamaica has senior and junior cups for male players, but where are our senior and junior cups for women?” the Minister asked.
She said the West Indies women’s cricket team deserved credit for doing so well in world cricket without “adequate support structures”.
The minister also called for more women to take up leadership positions in cricket.
She assured Mr Skerrit that the Ministry looked forward to continued collaboration with the new administration at West Indies Cricket Association and Jamaica Cricket Association.
Mr Skerrit said the CWI was considering the minister’s concerns and planned to invest more in grassroots cricket, with a focus on “kids’ cricket”.
The new CWI president also said that improvements affecting women’s cricket are coming, noting that the process has already begun with the West Indies women’s team’s wages being raised to the same level as the men’s team.
Mr Skerrit also told the Minister that the main purpose of his visit to Jamaica was to raise funds. “We were affected by the low cash inflows in the last financial year due to the scarcity of international cricket in the Caribbean,” he said.
Mr Skerrit said his visit had been “very fruitful” so far.
Accompanying the CWI President in his meeting with Minister Grange were Jamaica Cricket Association President Mr. Wilfred “Billy” Haven, Cricket West Indies Chief Executive Officer Mr. Johnny Grave, Director of Cricket Mr. Jimmy Adams and Cricket West Indies Financial Director Mr. Barry Thomas.
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