Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Friday wrote to the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, volunteering its no objection to Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves’ Emancipation Cricket Festival (EFC), slated for July 31 to Aug. 3.
However, those celebrations were short-lived as the CPL wrote a second letter on Wednesday, saying that it thought that Kingstown had received CWI approval for the games, which must come before CPL could endorse them.
The Gonsalves government celebrated on Tuesday a letter from the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) saying that it had no objection to the tournament.
Some political observers have said that the ECF is intended to give CWI President Kishore Shallow, one of Gonsalves’ political opponents, a political black eye ahead of general elections, widely expected by November.
However, in letter on Friday, Lynford Inverary, chief operating officer of CWI, wrote to Annette Mark, chief executive officer of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority, offering the no objection, even as he noted that the CWI had learnt of the tournament “through public discourse”.
“To date, no correspondence has been received from either the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines or the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association regarding this event,” Inverary told Mark.
“For clarity, the usual process for seeking approval for cricket events of this nature is to submit a formal request to the local cricket association, which holds jurisdiction within its territory. That body then engages with CWI for any required regional sanctioning in accordance with established protocols,” Inverary said.
He pointed out that this guidance was also shared directly by CWI CEO, Chris Dehring, with Kingstown’s Minister of Tourism Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture, Mr. Carlos James, during a conversation held on Thursday.
“In keeping with our mandate to support the development of cricket across the region, CWI has no objection to the staging of the SVG Emancipation Cricket Festival, scheduled for 31st July to 4th August 2025, provided that it is formally approved by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association, which holds jurisdiction over the game in that territory,” Inverary wrote to Mark.
“While the event was not submitted through the established sanctioning process, CWI is prepared to take a facilitative approach in this instance,” he further wrote in bold print.
Inverary said that for Mark’s future reference, approval for cricket events is typically granted subject to the conditions appended to the letter.
“We also wish to clarify, contrary to what has been reported in some sections of the media, that CWI has never expressed any objection to the staging of this tournament. Our focus has always been on ensuring that cricket activities within the region are properly coordinated and aligned with the sport’s governance structures.
“We trust this brings clarity to the matter and extend best wishes for the successful execution of the event,” Inverary said.
The letter was copied to Shallow, CWI Chief Executive Officer, Chris Dehring; CPL Chief Executive Officer, Pete Russell; Windward Islands Cricket Board President, Clement Marcellin and SST. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association President, Dougal James.
After the CPL withdrew its no objection on condition that the ECF organisers obtain the approval of CWI, the Gonsalves government suggested that the approval of CWI and CPL were not necessary because the ECF was not a tournament.
On Thursday, Gonsalves’ spokesperson Shevrel “Candyman” McMillian said that the government has “continuously declared we are not having a tournament”.
This was his position even as James, the tourism minister, has described the ECF as “a tournament which features international cricketers converging on St. Vincent and the Grenadines”.
Shallow will contest the North Leeward seat that James, of the Unity Labour Party, won by one vote in the 2020 general election.
Five years earlier, James lost to the opposition New Democratic Party’s Roland “Patel” Matthews by 12 votes, who, prior to the 2020 poll, had served as the constituency’s parliamentary representative for a decade.
Gonsalves won the general election in 2020 by a 9-6 margin, and political observers say that the seat is crucial for him to retain power in the upcoming poll.
Its things like these why we are left grasping for straws while drowning. While others disrespect us then turn around and ask us for favors which we comply with. The roads will remain they way they are for years to come. Industries will remain the way they are. Unemployment will remain the way it is; And we will live to fight another day disorganised and in poverty.
Mr PM, any updates on the port in Kingstown. How much do you estimate the cost overrun would be and how much would it cost taxpayers as it probably won’t be completed anytime soon..must be some monies attached when a project of this magnitude isn’t done on schedule , and which should be bringing in revenue to help pay for itself at this time,right? Can you stop trying to distract Vincentians and focus on these issues, which cost hundreds of millions of dollars? Stop playing politics with Vincentians..please.
Lets sing this song ,,,,,, overnight they become 🏏 cricketer. 😂
Some ar yo was accused ah saying dat black people only to be used, so because yo na get the little black boy to use yo want go down in the gutter fo him ? Come on shameless man, yo almost EIGHTY 80, go enjoy yo overtime days,. go relax yo self and think about yo eternity.