When the Honourable Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Dr. Keith Rowley raised the “Clarion call" for a discussion on the existing Caribbean Premier League (CPL) contract which was re-confirmed by the President of Cricket West Indies, Dr Kishore Shallow as 50 years, there was a refreshing air of expectation that surrounded the Two-day Caricom Cricket Conference which took place at the Hyatt Regency in Port-of-Spain, T&T last week.
The lucrative (CPL), which began 11 years ago, has come under the microscope at the Caricom conference with government leaders urging the parties to renegotiate the contract for the Twenty20 tournament.
For far too long, there has been the belief that this contract which I had the opportunity to view many years ago during the Dr Ernest Hilaire /Dr Julian Hunte period as Chief Executive Officer and President.
Pete Russell the current CEO of CPL talked the participants through his notes of how much CPL has incurred, how much they have lost, and how much it has given CWI over the last 12 years, which was a total of around $17 million which works out to be just over $1.4 million US. That if the only funds received by CWI as a fee are ridiculously low, but if you believe Russell very good in the circumstances where CPL continues to make losses. We were told by Mr Russel that over $25 million US has to be incurred each year just to stage the CPL.
Russell to his credit rattled off figures and amounts which we could not observe on any screen but rather instead have to trust him on his word. The fact that Russel did not list the full details but admitted that CWI had access to the financial statements of his company while admitting that CWI had a 5% stake in CPL and Digicel
Also has a stake. we are still interested but do not know who owns CPL. What baffles me on this, is the fact we were told that Digicel has some interest in the shares of CPL, the CPL in his current format is not a subsidiary of Digicel, and therefore the Accounts are not listed. I could be wrong but there appears to be a school of thought that Mr Russell only appears to want to answer just enough.
Interestingly the 50 years was revealed just over 10 days ago on a Thursday I sports radio show with many upsets and questioning who would sign away our birthright.
Russel suggested that the CPL would be willing to hold discussions on the matter of 50 years and mentioned that there are thirty-year-old criteria for reviewing and changing from 30 to 50 years. Russell, please share the accounts in detail so that many of us can review and comment.
The cynicism that currently makes CPL one of the most questioned operations leaves a lot to be desired Dr Rowley's positioning on CPL was ably supported by Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley who said that it could be interpreted that such an unhealthy contract period of 50 years could be interpreted in the current environment as a - “Restraint of Trade “, which would mean that the contract could be questioned in the court of law.
There is a sense that over the two days, we merely touched the surface of the problem but significantly it was a touch of care and concern and not of disgust and distrust. There is a lot of work that needs to be completed, not least changes to the regime that runs our cricket whether by numbers or by persons, or by both. The CPL contract it was suggested was not the only one that was not to the advantage of CPL but rather it was one of many that somehow was negotiated in favour of others at the expense of West Indies cricket.
The legendary cricketers present both live at the Hyatt or virtually, each left an indelible opinion of an appreciative audience, and none more so than a teary eye and committed Michael Holding, It must have taken a lot for the Prime Ministerial team from Caricom to ensure their support for West Indies cricket given the arrogant and abusive behaviour experienced in the past from CWI.
Perhaps it is an acknowledgment that the only bastion of unity left in this region “to unite our people “is sport and let us start with cricket, but everyone present would have left the two-day seminar certain that Prime Ministers Rowley, Mottley, and President Ali of Guyana along with Former Grenada Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell, love and care for cricket, beyond the boundary. Therefore, alerting Dr Shallow and his team that they will not easily be able to just “brush aside”, their suggestions and findings.
As we spoke about the need for investing in youth programmes, it was good to know that the current Minister of Sports and Community Development Mrs. Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis's programme of – I choose Sports – will have an ever-lasting effect on all sports including cricket, given the professionals now involved.
It is certain, that we need more such meetings, this time we can involve more current young cricketers, both male and female so that their voices can be added to those that want the best for cricket.
The good news is that West Indies coach Darren Sammy appears to be confident of victory going forward in the World t20 Finals from June 1st to 29th.
The Parting view and advice has to be for Pete Russell, that “seeing is believing “, so more needs to be made most open to a lot more than a few.
And again, we must thank Prime Minister Dr Rowley and his Caricom subcommittee as well as Dr Shallow, Miles Bascombe, and Johnny Grave in particular for being man enough to face the tough questions and any exposure.