THIS CRICKET BATTLE won’t be on the field, but in the boardroom.
Incumbent president of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), legendary West Indies pacer Joel “Bird” Garner, and long-time manager and cricket administrator Conde Riley will face off on Thursday, to be the head of the country’s largest sporting organisation.
To all intents and purposes, it’s a repeat election at the annual general meeting at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Conference Centre as both men squared off at the last vote two years ago, with Garner winning 166-121.
Last week the SUNDAY SUN sat down with both men to hear their future plans for the BCA.
CONDE RILEY
In a similar interview in 2013, you spoke to leading a transition in the Barbados Cricket Association. Do you feel the same way now?
I think what I said then was that cricket is a business and must be run on a business model and not by volunteers. I am guided by my professional training and I am too old to depart from the principles of corporate governance now.
We cannot have a situation where our output on the field outstrips our ability to manage our pool of resources as we will end up with a lot of talent going to waste.
We have a lot of work to do to sustain the BCA revenue streams to ensure that our critical development programmes are properly funded.
It will be a cultural shift or transition that the BCA has to make from the voluntary system that has derailed our cricket initiatives through neglect and incompetence.
The BCA spends over six million dollars every year on cricket and this sum is too considerable to be expended on the basis of long-standing friendships and alliances. The process of tendering has to be fully respected in order for the BCA to secure the most competitive prices for goods and services.
JOEL GARNER
What have you accomplished so far?
Let us focus on three areas: cricket development, organisational development and stakeholder involvement.
The successes and improvements we have had in our cricket development during the past eight years are significant. In comparison, our minor setbacks were just that ¬ minor. We concentrated on our core business of developing cricket and our strategies have borne fruit. The number of Barbadians playing for the West Indies and challenging for places at Test, A team and ODI squad levels is clear evidence.
Our selectors and selection process have worked well. We maintained our scholarship programme in the UK for young cricketers even in challenging economic times. Our plans were clearly articulated in a Cricket Development Plan.
The publication of the strategic plan underpins the achievements relating to making the board and the secretariat function in a professional manner based on sound principles of leadership, management, teamwork and accountability.
The (Sir) Everton Weekes Centre of Excellence continues to play an important role in the development of our young cricketers.
We are recruiting a human resources specialist to ensure that we comply with the stipulations of the Employment Rights Act and introduce and maintain good human resources practices.
The rules governing the BCA are being updated and revised. Recommendations for restructuring governance practices will be formally considered within the next few weeks.
The appointment of CEOs presented us with some challenges. We have made clear, public statements in that regard when CEOs had to be terminated. The Board followed established procedures and took the advice of specialists from recruitment to termination. We took collective decisions. But each job applicant is the ultimate advocate for his/her own integrity and competence. At the extra-regional level, we have signed a memorandum of understanding with Lancashire County Cricket Club. Implementation of the MOU will enable us to strengthen the BCA and its staff through coaching programmes, seminars for curators and training in cricket management.
Please read the full story in today’s Sunday Sun, or in the eNATION edition.