WILLIE RODRIGUEZ, former West Indies Test all-rounder who created quite a stir by his sudden withdrawal as a candidate for the post of president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), says he feels sorry for Chetram Singh, president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB).
Singh was the sole nominee for the top post, after Rodriguez opted out of the race but withdrew at the last minute at the Board’s annual general meeting in Roseau, Dominica, on Sunday.
This left Val Banks who was re-elected vice-president, over the only other nominee Lennox John as interim president until a special meeting of the members is held to elect a president.
Rodriguez, ex-West Indies selector and manager said he was disappointed at the way things turned out.
“I was a little disappointed at the way they focused on Chetram Singh, when it should have been on the executive in the manner in which they tried to circumvent the elections,” Rodriguez said.
However, Rodriguez said that the decision to go back to the various territorial Boards was a good idea.
Rodriguez, the president of the Queen’s Park Cricket Club, said that he was considering all angles before deciding to jump into the presidential race again.
“I will have to consider all options before deciding.
I don’t even know that I will be nominated for the post again,” Rodriguez added.
Singh, who has been president of the GCB since 1991, said West Indies cricket needs “continued unity” at this time and did not wish to accept a presidential position” without broad-based support of the Board and the cricket-loving people of the Caribbean.”
Ellis Lewis, first vice-president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board, who attended the meeting in Roseau, together with Richard de Souza, said that the local Board would be looking at all the possibilities available to it before making a nomination.
“It may very well be that the local Board may not have to make a nomination if a suitable candidate is nominated by one of the territorial Boards,” Lewis stated.
He added that several important matters which came out of the meeting is expected to be made public shortly.
The WICB will shortly announce the date of the special meeting and invite nominations for the office of president in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board president Alloy Lequay, who supported Singh’s nomination over Rodriguez, refused to take calls from the media.