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Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Kishore Shallow described the absences of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) from the December 6 governance reform meeting as “undermining the collective effort required to move forward”, despite both territorial boards claiming there were “no convincing reasons” for them to support any amendments to CWI’s articles of association.
A CWI statement said Guyana and Barbados’ decision to omit themselves meant a quorum was not met for the meeting, which was being held to vote on implementing governance reforms proposed by the Wehby Report, which aims to modernise CWI’s governance framework.
“Guyana formally indicated their non-attendance, while Barbados did not provide a response. This marks the second time that both the GCB and BCA have opted not to attend a meeting of the members, the first instance occurring in 2021 (CWI annual general meeting),” the statement read.
In March 2021, both the GCB and BCA boycotted CWI’s annual general meeting forcing it to be postponed and held at a later date.
All other full-member shareholders from the Jamaica Cricket Association, Leeward Islands Cricket Board, Windward Islands Cricket Board and TT Cricket Board were present and prepared to proceed.
CWI said it will now give members the opportunity to respond to the proposed resolutions in writing.
Shallow deemed the refusal of both boards to attend the meeting as a “setback” for all stakeholders.
“It is deeply disappointing that representatives from Guyana and Barbados did not see the importance of being present at this crucial juncture for the future of West Indies cricket.
Governance reform is critical to ensuring our organisation’s growth, sustainability, and ability to inspire pride across the region. This moment required unity and collaboration, and their absence undermines the collective effort required to move forward,” he said.
This meeting was expected to address significant proposals, including adjustments to introduce term limits, the term durations for the president and vice president, and other measures designed to strengthen CWI’s governance structure.
Key recommendations included restructuring the board of directors, enhancing stakeholder engagement and modernising operational practices.
Shallow said, “This meeting was not just about structural changes; it was about safeguarding the future of cricket in the Caribbean.
Change is never easy, but it is necessary. We must demonstrate to the cricketing world and our stakeholders that we are committed to improving and evolving as an organisation.”
In response to CWI’s statement, the GCB and BCA issued a joint statement on the evening of December 6, explaining why they chose to blank the meeting.
They said the proposed governance changes “lack clarity” and were uncertain how these amendments would benefit CWI.
Their joint statement referred to a BCA proposal “to stop the infighting through electioneering” at CWI’s annual meeting of members in March, which was not included in the proposed amendments for the December 6 meeting.
The GCB and BCA also rejected the Wehby report “on the basis that it seeks to relinquish power from the territorial boards and is further seen given recent decisions at CWI.”
Both boards believe that these “repetitive meetings under the guise of corporate governance reform, attempt to bring parts of said Wehby Report which were previously rejected.”
Commissioned in 2019, the CWI statement said, the Wehby Report outlines a comprehensive roadmap to improve CWI’s governance through measures that promote transparency, accountability, and alignment with global best practices.
It added that while progress has been made, implementation has faced delays, including those caused by the pandemic.
Shallow said that while the outcome is a “setback”, it would not deter them from the mission to transform West Indies cricket.
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