THE HEADLINE in the DAILY NATION of Tuesday, April 5 raises a fundamental question: What right do Caribbean governments have to intervene in the affairs of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB)?
Certainly Dave Cameron could argue that, putting aside the legal situation, these governments do not have the moral standing to demand WICB reforms. They claim to follow the parliamentary democratic system inherited from the former colonial masters. Yet in Britain theyhave an “integrity commission” which demands that all members of parliament declare their assets before entering parliament.
This is part of a system of transparency which stops MPs from walking off with the peoples’ money. In fact a few of them in Britain have been sent to jail for fiddling with taxpayers’ money. Again there is a cross-party commission that has the authority to question all MPs in public, including the Prime Minister.
Parliament, as the British have recognised, has many flaws. But at least they have made an attempt to make the politicians more accountable.
Dave Cameron should demand similar reforms from Caribbean Governments. He should ask them to first put their houses in order, to have transparency and accountability before standing on the pulpit.
– GRANTLEY E. EDWARDS