Georgetown, Guyana – The Board of Directors of the West Indies Cricket Board held a meeting at the Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown, Guyana on Saturday, July 13. The following decisions and updates are the highlights from an extensive agenda.
Cricket matters
1. The Board approved the Draft Schedule of Cricket for 2013-2014. The full draft schedule will be made available to the media and public after being shared with the West Indies Players Association.
2. The Board received a recommendation from the Marketing and Business Development Committee to play the Regional Super50 separate from the Regional 4 Day Tournament so as to make both tournaments, but especially the Regional Super50, more commercially viable. The Board deferred making a decision on the recommendation until the next Board Meeting, allowing time for sponsorship to be sourced.
(The Regional Super50 and Regional 4 Day tournaments were played concurrently in the 2012-2013 season)
3. The Board received a recommendation for the Regional Super50 to be played in January 2014. A final decision was not taken, the recommendation will be further reviewed by the Board.
(The January period is now available as a result of the Caribbean Twenty20 Tournament no longer being played.)
4. The Board approved a three year plan to increase retainer fees for West Indies Women players by 100%. For contract year 2013-2014, there will be a 40% increase. For contract years 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 there will be an increase of 30% in each contract year period.
5. The Board approved the recommendation that all territories must establish women’s cricket leagues at least one year before participating in the Regional Women’s Tournaments.
6. The Board received a full report on the Regional 4 Day and Super50 tournaments for 2013.
7. The Board accepted, in principle, the Cricket Committee recommendations with regard to bonus points for batting and bowling the Regional 4 Day Tournament. The Board asked the Cricket Committee and WICB Management to fine tune.
8. The Board approved an increase of 50% in retainer fees for WICB’s International Umpires as of October 1, 2013.
9. The Board received a comprehensive report from the WICB Sagicor High Performance Centre.
The WICB Cricket Committee: Julian Charles (Chairman), Emmanuel Nanthan (WICB Vice President), Joel Garner, Cecil Fletcher, Courtney Walsh, Clyde Butts, Nehemiah Perry, Lyndel Wright, Michael Muirhead (WICB CEO), Roland Holder (WICB Manager, Cricket Operations), Ottis Gibson (WICB Head Coach)
Corporate matters
10. The Board approved the membership of the West Indies Retired Players Foundation (WIRPF). Mr. Brian George (President and CEO of Supreme Ventures Ltd of Jamaica) has been appointed Chairman. The WICB appointed members are Delano Franklyn (attorney-at-law in Jamaica) and Dr. Nigel Camacho. The West Indies Players Association appointed members are former West Indies player and WIPA President Wavell Hinds and Nixon McLean, former West Indies player and WIPA Treasurer.
11. The Board appointed Mr. Wain Iton (General Manager and CEO of the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange) as Chairman of the Provident Fund Committee (PFC). The other members of the PFC are WICB Directors Conde Riley and Jennifer Nero (WICB appointees) and Brian George and Delano Franklyn (WIPA appointees).
Governance
12. The Board ratified the appointment of The Right Honourable Sir Dennis Byron as the Chairman of the Corporate Governance and Nominations Committee (CGNC) which is now a standing committee of the WICB. Sir Dennis is President of the Caribbean Court of Justice and had accepted the appointment.
(As background, on April 27, 2013 the Board had appointed Sir Hugh Rawlins, a former Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, as Chairman of the CGNC. Sir Hugh had accepted but subsequently sent his regrets due to illness.)
The WICB Corporate Governance and Nominations Committee: Sir Dennis Byron (chairman), Her Excellency Ambassador Menissa Rambally, Whycliffe ‘Dave’ Cameron, Emmanuel Nanthan, Verlyn Faustin.
Finances
13. The Board considered and reviewed the finances of the WICB following the presentation of the Management Accounts for an eight month period ending May 31, 2013.
Marketing and Business Development
14. The Board received an extensive report from the Marketing and Business Development Committee. The M&BDC has had two meetings under the chairmanship of Director Baldath Mahabir.
The WICB Marketing and Business Development Committee: Baldath Mahabir (chairman), Whycliffe ‘Dave’ Cameron, Clive Lloyd, Senator The Honourable Richard Skerritt, Calvin Hope, Roopchan Chadeesingh, Dennis Harris, Imtiaz Rahaman, Michael Muirhead, Verlyn Faustin, Nelecia Yeates, Cindy McLean.