President of the West Indies Cricket Board of Control (WICB) Dr. Julian Hunte says there is a packed agenda for the two-day Directors meeting which commenced yesterday at Buddy’s International Hotel, Providence.

MEETING OF THE MINDS! The directors of the West Indies Cricket Board during yesterday’s opening day of the two-day retreat at the Buddy’s International Hotel. (Clairmonte Marcus photo)

Dr. Hunte, in an exclusive with Stabroek Sports shortly before the meeting commenced said reports of the various committees of the WICB, the Patterson Report and its recommendations, re-starting the cricket academy and the establishment of a professional league were among some of the issues to be discussed at the meeting.

The WICB president, understandably, told Stabroek Sports that he was unable to expand on the issues facing the WICB but promised to do so at the conclusion of the two-day retreat.

“The report of the respective committees on cricket, finance, development etc., will be dealt with in its entirety at the meeting,” Dr. Hunte said.
So too will the state of the WICB cricket academy.

“We are hoping to have the academy up and running by year end (2009),” Dr. Hunte added.
It is expected that the finances of the organization will be thoroughly examined and, according to Dr. Hunte, for the first time in the WICB’s history, a Power Point presentation will be done to show where the board gets its finances from and to highlight the board’s financial development programmes.

The directors will also look at the Patterson Report and its recommendations and review what has been implemented so far.
The challenging discussion according to Dr. Hunte, will be an update on all issues that affect West Indies Cricket presently and in this respect,
president of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) Dinanath Ramnarine, is expected to be a key player.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the WICB, Dr. Donald Peters, said that the upcoming Digicel 2009 Series which bowls off with the England tour is also up for discussion.
The England team is due to arrive in the Caribbean (St. Kitts) in another couple of days for a tour which comprises four test matches and five One-Day Internationals.