ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has taken note of the repeated “calls to conduct a forensic audit of the Board in order to save West Indies cricket from absolute and total downfall” made by former officials of the WICB.
This call for a forensic audit was recently published by ESPNcricinfo on September 8, 2016. The WICB has been advised there are similar publications by the former officials.
These calls for a forensic audit by the former officials are without any basis in fact, and importantly, notwithstanding, that these former officials are aware that the WICB has for many years retained internal and external auditors.
The Board’s internal and external audits are done and authorised by Price Waterhouse and KPMG respectively, and accounts are published by or available from the WICB on all its platforms, including the website where the reports are available.
The WICB notes that these allegations appear triggered not by fact or evidence but an emotional reaction to the WICB’s response to the CARICOM sub committee’s report and other matters. These officials have completely ignored the written responses of the WICB.
The Board has been advised that in a number of instances the call for a forensic audit carries the suggestion of wrong doing and misappropriation of WICB funds by present members of the WICB. Additionally, it suggests the auditors are either incompetent or complicit. These allegations are completely false, and seriously damaging to the reputation of the WICB, its members, and auditors.
The WICB has therefore decided that these are serious allegations and has referred the matter to Senior Counsel, Anthony Astaphan of Dominica, for his advice and recommendations.
There is more democracy practiced within wicb than in caribbean politics.to be a board member of Wicb you need to go through 4 different elections in the oecs countries,local ,national.regional and wicb.in the other territories, local, national,wicb.
People wake up one morning and declare themselves politicians.one must remember that wicb is a democratic institution built from the sweat and sacrifice of caribbean people. No one has the authority to announce it,s eradication.there is a democratic process by which board members are elected. That process must be respected.
I am not saying there must be no reform or criticism.let us all respect the process of democracy that has been establish for for electing wicb board members.
If the WICB have nothing to hide, then just allow the audit and the matter will be settled. It is always a good thing to have an audit, forensic or otherwise and, contrary to what WICB state, a call for an audit is NOT a suggestion of wrongdoing. This is a normal part of good governance at the corporate level.
@Marcus Hill – My good sir, did you not read the following in the article????
Here is an excerpt from the article:
“The Board’s internal and external audits are done and authorised by Price Waterhouse and KPMG respectively, and accounts are published by or available from the WICB on all its platforms, including the website where the reports are available.”
………..(sigh)…………..in light of the above, what really are you asking the WICB for?
I would not call for a Forensic Audit. The time has past for that. Moreover, legally, who has jurisdiction to order the forensic audit? I would not waste time on that.
Instead CARICOM as a collective must take a radical and revolutionary approach to saving the Caribbean’s honor by decreeing the WICB as useless and as sovereign states they would not want any further association with the entity. Then set up a thorough legal framework for the formation of a new entity on meritocratic principles – a highly performance and reward based structure encompassing management, administration, players, coaches etc.
As I have sad before this creature WICB is like Ebola – it leads to death. I feel sorry for the players.
BUT I FEEL SORRY MOST FOR OUR CARICOM LEADERS – they are pathetically helpless/hopeless in at least giving some guidance. WICB has made them look like clowns -ZeZe.
Do we even have an iota of respect and honor for Our past heroes/ legends of cricket?
Do we want to constantly see the televised tears and constant humiliation of 80 year old Sir Garfield Sobers, or Sir Vivian Richards , Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Curtly Ambrose et al. DO WE HATE OUR KIDS FUTURE
Have we not noticed that mainly those who could not make the West Indies Team are Officials and Coaches and Managers – even Phil did not have an impressive average but he proved with Ireland that he was a coach worthy ofhis salt. I would not be surprised if Joel Garner leaves soon. WICB spells mediocrity – and it appears to be a trend in the region. And please do not think I do not like the Board Members. Otherwise they are good people but on this matter of cricket they are a reproach to our honor and future.
In times past you would aspire to surround yourself with persons who knew more than you, who could educate and guide and advise you to success. Today people love surrounding themselves with people who know less so they look bright. So Pathetic and it is a Caribbean Trend.
Sociologists, educationist, pedagogues, historians, architects of our education and our future take note -Just remember:
All that is cricket in the region is a microcosm of our society.
LIAT and the WICB are two major institutions expected to foster Caribbean integration. But ALAS PAPA BON DIEU, they have the same foul institutional characteristics:
Incompetence, Ineptitude, Mediocre, Don’t care (pas melee) attitude, no conscience, Hubris, wasteful, no appropriate vision with a line to success, And their anthem and philosophy seem to be captured in the title of MC Hammer’s son “CAN’T TOUCH THIS”.
These two institutions have made a mockery of Caribbean Heads of States, trivializing them to the point of a “Mesa quick – Quack” Kont story on one cultural folklore night.
With these two institutions I think the Tru Tones of St. Lucia in the early eighties captured it well in their song: BURNING EYES & A HUNGRY BELLY
There’ve been times when I had to look to the sky
So the creator would see my face
And remember me too whom he brought into this place
With better days nowhere close in sight,
It seem a never ending fight
Chorus
Chorus:
So let’s get rid of them Burning eyes and a hungry belly
save the children of tomorrow the tears and the sorrow
Burning eyes and a hungry belly could make an angel a lion and a preacher a killer,
Burning eyes and a hungry belly, never ever heard of such sweet misery
Burning eyes and a hungry belly, find its solution in a revolution
The last two lines is quite telling. One Day people may well finally find the solution in a revolution
Senior council Astaphans. He probably suggested it. Senior council as much as i do not agree with your principles i cannot help admire the way you capitalize on every high profile controversial governmental issue. Some people thrieve on chaos and you are an expert at it. Continue to milk those idiots. I don’t blame you one bit for preying on the stupidity and ignorance of those african decendants. If not you someone else will. Respect.
Hahaha, they asked S.C. Astaphan for advice and recommendations? The same attorney, who was going to submit a re[port on corruption in the previous UWP administration but failed to do so? Boy, oh boy, scare tactics to warn of critics. If there is nothing wrong with the audited accounts of the WICB why even respond to the inuendo and allegations? Leave well alone!The only person to benefit from this would be Anthony Astaphan (again), who will submit a hefty bill for his services. No doubt Mano and his friends recommended him and that alone will raise further questions.
I am becoming more and more suspicious of these anti-WICB ‘noises’ being made by certain entities out there. The WICB has areas it needs to improve on but………………..(hmmmmmm…..)….
I wonder, are there COVERT agents at play ‘behind-the-scenes’ attempting to overthrow the WICB utilizing various propaganda proxy strategies?
If so, who are these covert actors behind these recent anti-WICB rhetoric and what really is the end game of these covert actors?