“We are the champions We are the West Indies” These lyrics have been immortalised in song by our own Dave Martins and the Tradewinds, bearing testimony to the historical acclaimed ability of West Indian cricketers. Last Saturday the team won the World T20 final in what has been described by commentators as “stunning fashion.” When victory was declared there were celebrations and ‘I told you so’ even among those who never believed it could have been so. The world’s fastest person ever timed, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt took to his page to celebrate, singing and dancing to Dwayne “DJ” Bravo – ‘Champion.’ Our own Enrico Woolford of Capitol News took to his facebook to show us his blood pressure apparatus that he would have no need for. It was pure love and excitement rallying around the West Indies, reflecting an important aspect of our lives, and that which bind us as people of the Caribbean/West Indies: cricket
Cricket is part of our identity, a rallying point of togetherness and the setting aside of our differences to be under one banner. The West Indian cricket team dates back to the 1880s, with the West Indian Cricket Board (WICB) joining the Imperial Cricket Council in 1926, and playing its first international match in 1928. This long and distinguished career predated the independence of Caribbean countries and established the foundation from which later integration efforts were built.
Today West Indian cricket comprises of a multi-national team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.
This long and storied legacy has not been without its ups and downs. Frankly, there have been expressed concerns about the direction of the WICB given its survival and success is important to reinforcing the identity of the peoples of the Region, solidifying the unity of purpose as outlined in CARICOM and attendant institutions, and ensuring a positive reputation on the world stage.
Within recent years the WICB and players have been experiencing various challenges, both in performance in the field and administratively.  It is not believed that these challenges are insurmountable and cannot be overcome. And where another conflict has arisen in the unfortunate relationship that led to the T20 team feeling abandoned, it is the belief that this too can be overcome in the interest of the Region’s good.
When T20 captain, Darren Sammy last Saturday felt compelled to publicly address what he considered to be unsavoury treatment of the players by the WICB, it is worthy of paying attention to. This attention should not be with the intent to ‘punish’ and isolate those with the needed skills and talent to offer, but to kick start discussions from a position of mutual respect that would be guided by two fundamental principles.
These principles are: 1) what must be done by the WICB and players to forge harmonious relationship, where both groups are seen as equals and treated as such; and 2) how can both groups, cognisant of the responsibility they shoulder to themselves and the peoples of the region, at all times strive to ensure the common good triumph.
Where Dave Cameron, WICB President, in response to Sammy’s concerns has taken the highroad and committed that he would meet the players in June to find a “common ground” where the “best” players can represent the region in all formats, such is a welcoming signal. It would bode well for the region and its peoples should such meeting factor in the stated principles. And if arriving at resolutions requires the involvement of a third party, then the WICB and players must be prepared to make such accommodation.
Throughout the engagements at all times the guiding principle must remain that “We are the champions. We are going to stay West Indians.”