KINGSTOWN, St Vincent And The Grenadines – Cricket West Indies (CWI), under the current leadership of president Ricky Skerritt and vice-president Dr Kishore Shallow, reiterates its campaign commitment to strengthen ties with CARICOM, following a courtesy call on Thursday morning with St Vincent and The Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Hon. Ralph Gonsalves.

Accompanying CWI president Skerritt and vice- president Shallow at the meeting was former West Indies wicketkeeper and recently appointed CWI Independent Director, Ambassador Michael Findlay.

The more than three-hour meeting, conducted in a serious but very cordial atmosphere, addressed not just the urgent need to strengthen schools cricket, but also concerns and plans for governance reform, a financial review, modernisation of the team selection system and the need to introduce a fitness culture at the youth level.

“West Indies cricket success and growth are crucial to our regional psychological well-being. A regional good cannot be operated like a private club,” said Prime Minister Gonsalves who is also CARICOM’s cricket sub-committee chairman.

President Skerritt assured the Honourable Prime Minister that after just four months of the new administration, hard work was well underway on all fronts to strengthen stakeholder relations, and to bring improvement and success both off and on the field.

Skerritt also thanked and commended Prime Minister Gonsalves for St Vincent having done such a good job of hosting the just concluded Rising Stars Under-19 tournament and trial matches.

Dr Gonsalves, one of the better known cricket-loving Prime Ministers of the region, reflected on his own pleasant memories of the glory days of West Indies cricket, and said he is hopeful for some of the talent he is seeing now.

He urged the visiting CWI trio to do whatever is necessary to mould that talent and improve the on-field results, as the “Caribbean people are hungry for a return to the victory days”. The Prime Minister pledged the full support of his Government and committed to help rebuild the CARICOM and CWI relations going forward.