Dominicans are waiting with high expectation over the next 24 hours to learn if the 3rd Digicel Test between West Indies and Australia carded for April 23, 2012 will be switched from the Guyana National Stadium to Windsor Park Dominica.
A release from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) states it will announce its position with regard to the 3rd Digicel Test after discussions with other stakeholders.
The change has become necessary because of an unresolved impasse between the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and an interim management committee over the governance of the affairs of cricket in that country.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit took to the airwaves today to announce that the game was shifted to Dominica – he had earlier announced this at a rally of his governing Dominica Labour Party at La Plaine on Sunday.
However, to date there has been no official word from the WICB on the matter.
Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) director on the WICB, Dr Allen Sammy told the Express newspaper on Sunday that shifting the Australia Test was an absolute last resort.
Asked if the WICB was considering moving the Test to another venue, Sammy said: “We looked at alternatives. We have to look at all the options available.
“We have no problem with an IMC as an advisor but it must be the GCB controlling cricket in Guyana. The first option is to keep the game in Guyana. If it (the impasse) can’t be resolved we have to look at the alternatives sooner rather than later,” Sammy added.
“We want a resolution. We want to keep the game there, but we will look at the options and make a decision in the best interest of the game, of Guyana, and the people of the Caribbean,” Sammy concluded.
Emmanuel Nanthan is the president of the Dominica and Windwards cricket board and also a director of the WICB.
He told Dominica News Online that “the possibilities that the game will be shifted to Dominica is very high so we are making the necessary arrangements.”
While a lot of you are blasting away, I am praying that it comes through. How will it benefit us? While the WICB will collect the gate receipts, the ground staff, security, taxis, hotels, vendors and their families by extension will all benefit. And my beautiful land will get maximum exposure which we will not pay a cent for considering the cost of advertising. We all should be happy, but again, if I remember clearly, when the stadium project started, alot of persons said that the chinese was fooling us and nothing was happening. Then when that could not hold because from Jurassic park came this gem, the chant became we could never get a first class game much less for a one day and worse, a test. However, out of the nine test playing countries (eight plus West Indies) Bangladesh, South Africa and India have already visited, New Zealand and possible Austrilia this year will bring the total to five with only England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka remaining. Not bad, in fact damn good, if you ask me, and in three short years.
StillI am not suprised with all these negative comments.
I will continue to pray “god bless my beautiful land”
There are actually 10 test playing nations. Zimbabwe is also a test playing nation. They recently returned to international test cricket following a six year self imposed exile.
Hopefully in the course of time all these teams will come to our shores.
I’m a lil disgusted with some of the pointless comments… If you have doubts about what the PM says, its as easy as using your brains to dble check facts.. here is part of the press release from WICB:
With regard to the WICB Regional 4 Day Tournament the Executive Committee took the following decisions:
1. The Guyana matches in the first four rounds of WICB Regional 4 Day Tournament will no longer be played at the Guyana National Stadium.
2. The Guyana Team will play its first and second round WICB Regional 4 Day matches at Windsor Park in Dominica.
3. The venue(s) for Guyana’s third and fourth round WICB Regional 4 Day matches will be decided and announced at a later date.
The Board will announce its position with regard to the 3rd Digicel Test of the Digicel Series 2012, West Indies v Australia scheduled for the Guyana National Stadium after discussions with other stakeholders.
WHY IS AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT NEEDED IN DOMINICA? WE DONT HAVE BUISENESS FOR THAT WE DONT EVEN HAVE A CONFRENCE FACILITY
SO WHAT????????????? CRICKET FEEDING MY CHILD????????????
Yes, if one of the players is the real dad.
and there are no IF’s about that.
While the PM is trying to uplift the Dominicans spirits, by being optimistic, there are a few misguided persons who are praying day and night that nothing good happens in Dominica. But God is good. Dominica belongs to all of us. Cricket must come to Dominica, because we have the stadium. Be it this year or 2015 it must come. We are well prepared for anything now.
I certainly hope hotel rooms will be prepared too….
i thought the cowboy had confirmation of that when he made the announcement on sunday at laplaine..sensation again..playing on people emotions..excite them just to get votes…impulsive..just so he gave chanderpaul citizenship of his own volition.
all u leave the pm alone.and lets hope that we get this game ok.forget about who supportin who and lets move forward ok
i see nothing wrong in your excitement (PM)despite what your haters write,it’s because of all the negativity lately,i know for sure you would like to see something positive happen in dominica,seriously as a human being,i know you want to see dominica roll forward so bad,that is understandable,we will just keep our fingers cross,and for some of you people, this is not all about economics,but exposure rather,the economics will follow naturally.
well i not no skerritite or labourite but I say bring on de cricket!
Skerro I do hope you are right about this one.
If the PM told Dominicans that the game was shifted to Dominica and he also said that yesterday during his rally then we must conclude that the WICB has already made a decision and as a result, I can understand why the PM is so happy.
But apart from the joy of seeing Australia play against a very weak windies in Dominica, how will that contibute to our economy since the bulk of our money is expected to go to WICB and not to Dominica?
We must bear in mind that we do not have an international airport and according to the PRO of WICB mr Imran Khan, told us through a q95 live program with Mr. Telemaque that they (WICB) had many things to take into consideration why Dominica was not given a test agaist these same Aussies. In fact he said that our hotels were not of good standard. So without an Airport and quality hotels, we know we not going to get the tourist $; is our little money that going to leave our shores. So please MR PM, I know you are excited now but please tell us how this shift of venues will help our economy?
what the hell an internation airport have to do with that.
St Lucia has an International and look they might shut it down because its bleeding money…So what are you saying, is it “time for truth”
Shut it down? Are u crazy Wikileaks? please read and understand.What about British Airways, Virgin Atlantic,Jet Blue,Delta,Air Canada,West Jet plus the other chaters airlines serving that airport. Mention was only made about American Airline dude and the revenue guarantee.
That is one of the reasons its so difficult to see the progress that is being made in Dominica!!!People like you bring down the value of your own country with all your negativity.It’s a sad thing when strangers can come to Dominica and enjoy what this island have to offer and “DUMMY-NICANS” like you just there hating.
Just be happy about this. Allow yourself to be happy. Some things are good.
To those of you who cursed me and called me names for asking a very important question, I want to make it clear that I love my country but since the PM is playing politics with it and first annouced it at a DLP rally, I am simply asking the PM to tell us how a test match against Australia will help our economy? What does that have to with an international airport some of you asked.
Well for those of you that don’t know anything about cricket, a lot of supporters travel with the Aussie’s and since we do not have an international airport and according to Imran Khan, our hotels are not of high standard, then how will the test contribute to our economy seeing that our local money will be leaving our shores? Am I wrong to ask that? Does it mean I hate Dominica and I don’t like progress? If we are not able to host the 100’s of Aussie’s supporters which we will see in Bados, Lucia, and other venues, then how will such a big match benefit us? Hate me curse me or say what you want, I am simply asking relevant and pertinent questions that have nothing to do with politics whatsoever.
At the end of the day it would be GREAT to see Australia in action! What!!! So lets hope The matches come to Dominica!! Look Lovely Cricket!!
The final decision has not been made yet and the PM saying we having cricket in the stadium. Those gaulible D/cans just drink that. It does not matter what anyone else say the PM talks so it will happen? This man better than jesus Christ or D/can so foolish?
Let us wait and see so let us take what he say with a BAG of salt.
ebeh look it skerro mouth open jumbie jump out!!!
Lol so it hasn’t even been finalized and AM/PM already bragging?!! Whooooshhhh ebeh!
We asre ever so greatful to the Chinese friends for the Stadium. We love you PM in a.m and p.m too
But it hasn’t been finalized so don’t go blowing trumpets just yet!
OK – and what
AND WHAT…YOU GET YOUR OWN NAME
tell skerrit stop fooling Dominicans. if we listened to what Nanthan said, they are in discussions and we are the front runners, NO DESCISION has been made as yet.
I thought Dominicans said a few months ago on a sports show that Dominica cannot handle a game with Australia. Hmmmm lets see what happens
Way to go Dominica time now for matches.enjoy be merry and be safe.
despite heavy critism from the haters <the aussies cricket is coming. Eat that!
Mr Skerrit, you need to ease up on your sometimes impulsive nature of doing things. While the possibility exists that Dominica could in fact host the 3rd test between West Indies and Australia in April, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has not yet taken a decision to move that particular game from Guyana as the WICB is hoping that the conflict between the Guyana Cricket Board and the Guyanese government will be rectified soon enough.
Take it easy Mr Prime Minister. Dominica’s hosting of that match is not a certainty as yet(at least at the time of my posting).
Anyways I do hope it comes true and the West Indies plays both Australia and later on New Zealand in Dominica. Ohh yeaa!!