(Letter to the Sport Editor)

BY THE time this letter is published, the team selected to represent us at the CBC championship in the BVI early in July should be made public.The players who were selected by the appointed captain Mr Rawle Marshall, along with the coach and assistant coach, are scheduled to depart on Sunday with hopes of bringing back gold.
But is the team selected by these three selectors the same team that will leave these shores Sunday to represent us? Is the team leaving here Sunday the best 12 that were in training? I don’t think so and I would spare very little time in getting to my point.
Mr Editor, based on feedback from multiple sources, multiple credible sources I might add, it appears that a 12-man team who represented the cream of the crop of the 19-man squad, was initially named by the above-mentioned selection panel.
This initial team comprised six foreign and six local-based players which meant that three of the overseas players would have been cut simply because they were not good enough. In simpler terms, we had local-based players that were outperforming them, as seen through the eyes of another overseas-based player; only this one has NBA credentials.
According to these feedbacks when this list was presented to the GABF president he immediately fell out of favour, citing the absence of the three overseas players.
All resistance from the selection panel was overruled by the president who dictated whose names should make up the new team.
The team was subsequently amended to include these three underperforming “foreign” players at the expense of our more “ready”, “need-the-experience”, fit local players, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice to be there, and earned their selection.
Mr Editor, if these allegations are true then what message we are sending to our locals who have to go against a ton of adversities!
For the players outside of Georgetown it’s even worse. Linden players travelled the highway all hours of the morning returning from practice only to be told at selection time that they will be deprived of what they worked this hard to earn? This is not right.
What’s the purpose of naming coaches and captain? Why didn’t the president triple as coach, assistant coach and captain instead of rubber-stamping individuals? Is this the same president that wants to win a CBC championship that he will now compromise the quality of team for, heaven knows what or why?
Also coming out of the said camp are reports that one player has been selected because he plays for the same club that has an executive in the hierarchy of the GABF. That executive promised to donate funds under the condition that two of his players (one of those players has since been cut at final selection) make the team.
Mr Editor, again, if there is truth to these allegations then I feel the pain of all the players involved, I know of their sacrifices. Is it because it is felt that they have no voice? To remain silent is to validate and consent to the skullduggery. This is more than enough to kill a career and should be investigated. The GABF’s side of this story would be welcome.
Mr Editor, My enthusiasm and passion has waned over the past 24 hours but I still wish our team well and hope they perform well at the championship. We are grossly undersized at the big positions but have a glut at the smaller positions. I guess that means we have to be running, gunning and shooting really well since we have limited rebounding. Problem is other teams will have the same qualities plus rebounding. Good luck nonetheless.