What exactly is happening with
cricket in Grenada?
That question became even more
pressing following Saturday’s TalkSports programme, when it was revealed that
the Grenada Cricket Association (GCA) has been attempting to meet with the Ministry
of Sports to discuss several outstanding matters.
If that account is accurate, it
should concern everyone who cares about the development of cricket.
A recognised national sporting
association should not have difficulty securing a meeting with the ministry
responsible for sport. The government and the GCA will not always agree. Still, they must be able to sit around the same table and discuss funding, facilities,
national team preparation, youth development, regional competitions, and the
long-term direction of the game.
A meeting is not a favour. It is
part of the working relationship that should exist between the Ministry of
Sports and every national sporting association.
There is also the more troubling
report that thousands of dollars reportedly due to the GCA from Cricket West
Indies cannot be accessed because documents requiring government approval or a
signature have not been completed.
We have not seen the documents,
and we should not present the report as an established fact. However, the claim
has been repeated often enough to warrant an official response.
How much money is involved? What
document requires the government’s signature? When was it submitted? Who is
responsible for signing it? Has Cricket West Indies communicated directly with
the Government of Grenada? Most importantly, how has the delay affected the
GCA’s programmes and the preparation of national teams?
The Ministry of Sports can bring
clarity to the issue without much difficulty. If the information is inaccurate,
it should be corrected. If a signature or approval remains outstanding,
the public should be told why. And if there is no legal or administrative
obstacle, the matter should be completed without further delay.
Grenada cricket cannot afford to
have money sitting somewhere in the system while teams struggle to prepare and
young players wait for opportunities.
This is also about much more than
one payment.
The GCA has reportedly developed
a three-year plan that includes a high-performance centre alongside a
grassroots cricket programme. That proposal deserves serious consideration.
One of the weaknesses in
Grenada’s cricket structure is the limited amount of competitive cricket being
played at the Under-15 level. The Under-19 players also need more matches, strong competitions, and a clearer pathway into senior cricket. Coaching sessions
are important, but they cannot replace regular match play.
The proposed programme would also
involve families and use Masters Cricket as a means of connecting experienced
players with the younger generation. That makes sense. Former players have
knowledge that should not be lost when they stop playing competitively. They
can mentor young cricketers, help them understand the demands of the game, and reinforce the discipline required to succeed.
The proposed high-performance
centre would be particularly important for Grenadian players who are not
contracted by the Windward Islands Volcanoes. Without a structured programme at
home, those players can easily fall into a gap between domestic cricket and the
regional professional system.
Grenada has a useful pool of
talent. Andre Fletcher, Johann Jeremiah, Teddy Bishop, Darron Nedd, Ryan John,
Darel Cyrus, Kirt and Kirtsen Murray, Shermon Lewis, and Preston McSween are
among the players who demonstrate the depth and potential that exist.
Not all of them are at the same
stage of their careers, but there must be a system capable of supporting
established players, emerging talent, and those pushing for another opportunity
at the regional level.
A high-performance centre would
require proper examination. The GCA should be prepared to present its budget,
coaching structure, player-development targets, staffing requirements, and
expected results. The Ministry does not have to accept every aspect of the
proposal without question. But it must be willing to hear it, assess it, and
determine where the government can assist.
That is what consultation is
supposed to accomplish.
There is also the approaching Los
Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. With cricket included on the programme, the GCA is
understandably watching the qualification possibilities for players from
smaller Caribbean countries.
The eventual pathway may involve
movement through the Windward Islands structure and then the wider Cricket West
Indies system. The precise arrangements will have to be confirmed by the
relevant cricket and Olympic authorities. Whatever the final process, Grenada
cannot wait until qualification begins to think about preparation.
If our players are to have a
realistic opportunity, the groundwork must start now.
Infrastructure forms another part
of the discussion. During my recent visit to Grenada, I toured several of the
country’s major sporting facilities, including those used for track and field,
football, and cricket. I also visited the aquatic centre now under construction.
There is visible investment, and
that should be acknowledged. However, investment must eventually produce
facilities that meet the required standards and can be used to attract regional
and international competition.
At the National Cricket Stadium,
I was advised that adjustments are still required to the recently installed
lights as part of the process towards securing the necessary ICC grading and
approval. That work must be followed through to completion.
Installing lights is one stage.
Having a properly certified venue capable of hosting international and
day-night cricket is the outcome that matters.
The development and renovation of
sporting facilities must also include consultation with the people who will use
them. National associations, athletes, coaches, grounds staff, event organisers, and broadcasters should be involved before important decisions are finalised.
Broadcasting requirements, for
example, cannot be treated as an afterthought. Camera positions, sightlines,
commentary areas, lighting levels, power supplies, internet connectivity, and
space for technical equipment all affect whether an event can be properly
presented to audiences at home and overseas. It is far less expensive to
address those matters during planning than to correct them after construction
has been completed.
The immediate way forward should
be straightforward.
The Ministry of Sports should
schedule a meeting with the Grenada Cricket Association. The reported funding
issue should be clarified, the documents should be examined, and the GCA should
be allowed to present its three-year development plan.
The GCA, for its part, must
arrive prepared to provide details, budgets, timelines, and measurable targets.
If Cricket West Indies needs to participate in the discussion, it should be
invited to do so.
This should not become another
prolonged disagreement in which letters are sent, meetings are requested, and
nothing moves.
The people who suffer most from
that kind of delay are not the administrators. They are the young cricketers
who are not playing enough matches, the national players trying to prepare
without adequate support, and the Grenadian players seeking a route into
regional and international cricket.
Grenada has talent. It has
facilities. There are development ideas on the table, and funding may be accessed.
What is needed now is a serious
conversation, and there is no good reason why that conversation should not begin
immediately.
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