JCA says hosting Skerritt ‘fair and proper’ thing to do

JCA vice-president Dr Donovan Bennett.
JCA vice-president Dr Donovan Bennett.

KINGSTON, Jamaica,  CMC – The Jamaica Cricket Association has distanced itself from the stance taken by three territorial cricket boards, and will host Cricket West Indies presidential hopeful Ricky Skerritt and running mate, Dr Kishore Shallow, in a meeting here today.

Skerritt and Shallow will outline their vision for cricket development to the JCA, in an effort to gain the board’s two votes at the CWI elections here on March 24.

The duo were snubbed by the Barbados Cricket Association, Guyana Cricket Board and the Windward Islands Cricket Association – all of whom have already signalled their support for the incumbent Dave Cameron and vice-president Emmanuel Nanthan.

But JCA vice-president, Dr Donovan Bennett, said it was only “fair and proper” to hear from all parties involved in the elections, before making a decision on who to support.

“Hopefully, we will get to hear from Mr Cameron too and after we hear from both individuals, we will ask questions and after we ask questions, then we will make a determination as to the way we go,” Bennett told the Gleaner newspaper.

“We are not going to go down the road that Barbados, Guyana, and Windward (Islands) have gone. I think that it is not good, and I wouldn’t want to be a part of any association where you want to hear one candidate and you disregard the next.”

He added: “I think it should be fair and proper that both candidates be heard and this is what the Jamaica board is doing.

“Mr Skerritt made himself available for Thursday and I am glad he did, because if he never did, then he won’t be considered.”

Jamaican Cameron will meet with the JCA next week to present his plan, as he bids for a fourth successive term in charge of the regional governing body.

And while the JCA was one of the boards to nominate Cameron and Nanthan, Bennett said that would not automatically mean their support was guaranteed.

“It is a plus [that Cameron is Jamaican], but it cannot be the only determination. This is not a Jamaica election. It is a West Indies election, and we are all Caribbean people,” Bennett said.

“We are one people, and yes, Mr Cameron is from Jamaica and that gives him an advantage, but it cannot be the only determining factor.”

He continued: “We are looking for the best for Jamaica’s cricket and for West Indies Cricket because obviously things are not going well and we would think that at this time there has got to be a new thinking and a new direction.”

Cameron will hold a town hall meeting at the Kingston Cricket Club next week Thursday, and has invited the JCA top executives.