The recent National Democratic Party (NDP) victory in the St Vincent and the Grenadines 2025 elections, with a landslide 14 to one over the Dr Ralph Gonsalves-led Saint Vincent Labour Party, may have implications for the Cricket West Indies (CWI).
Included among the 14 seats won by the NDP on November 27 was Dr. Kishore Shallow, the incumbent president of CWI. Dr. Shallow, who is one of the leading personalities of Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday’s winning team, is expected to represent North Leeward in Parliament and possibly get a senior ministerial post in the new government.
The CWI Constitution is silent on a matter like this, though there have been previous possible conflicts of interest regarding political figures. In the case of Saint Lucia’s Julian Hunte, after returning from his UN post, he was not involved in elective politics when he became board president, while Trinidadian Ken Gordon was made a senator but not while he was president. If the scenarios see Dr. Shallow stepping down because of his political responsibilities, it is expected that first VP Azim Bassarath of the Trinidad and Tobago Board will take over the role as acting president until a new election is held by the Caribbean cricket body.
As I write this article, we have had no statement coming from the Office of the CWI President who no doubt is extremely busy with matters of the Saint Vincent nation following the recent elections but I did respectfully call Dr. Shallow to congratulate him on his election to Parliament and to pass on my humble best wishes to PM-elect Godwin Friday. Indeed, he is currently too occupied in matters of state to be able to respond to my question on whether he is going to continue to hold the presidency of the CWI or resign in the circumstances.
ICC Regulations on Political Interference in Cricket
Taken at the full meeting of the ICC Council in Hong Kong in 2025 (Government Interference): ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgath said that the reform was needed to bring ICC Cricket in line with the standard of global practice in other global sports. The ICC Chief Executive then further added that they had sensed over a recent period that government agencies were interfering in the affairs of some of the ICC Member Boards.
It is recommended that the entire CWI executive, directors included, look at the ICC regulations in detail, as a board official was present at the Hong Kong Meeting.
Yours in Sport
“Reds” Perreira (Former WI Cricket Commentator)
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