In a landmark roundtable titled “Cricket as a Public Good”, West Indies cricket legends joined national leaders and public figures on 2nd August 2025 in St Vincent to explore cricket’s role beyond sport—as a force for national unity, cultural identity, education, and youth empowerment. Hosted at Arnos Vale Stadium by the SVG Tourism Authority, the event formed a central pillar of the Emancipation Cricket Festival and coincided with significant anniversaries in West Indies cricket heritage.
The discussion was moderated by acclaimed broadcaster Andre Mason and featured panelists including Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Sir Clive Lloyd, Sir Andy Roberts, H.E. Deryck Murray, and Vincentian cricket ambassador Michael Findlay. Together, they reflected on cricket’s enduring power as a post‑colonial institution shaping regional consciousness and social mobility.
Prime Minister Gonsalves opened by emphasising that the sport serves as more than recreation—it is woven into the narrative of Caribbean emancipation, resistance, and leadership. He raised pointed concerns about the transparency and governance of Cricket West Indies, the regional body overseeing the sport.
“Where are the earnings of Cricket West Indies being invested?” he queried. “What role, if any, do officials play in gambling-related activities? There remains a troubling lack of openness and a persistent unwillingness to address these matters publicly. When governments seek to engage, Cricket West Indies appears more inclined to draw boundaries than build partnerships.”
Dr. Gonsalves asserted that meaningful reform is essential if West Indies cricket is to flourish in the long term.
“Culture and sport are inextricably linked,” he stated. “We cannot continue to tolerate a situation where a private entity oversees what is fundamentally a public good, absent accountability to the people it serves.”
Sir Clive Lloyd and Sir Andy Roberts shared stories from the golden era of West Indies dominance, stressing how cricket forged a sense of pride and cohesion across island nations. Deryck Murray described cricket as a living public good that unifies disparate communities under shared values of excellence and discipline.
Among the key themes explored were:
- Cricket’s historical role in forging Caribbean identity and post-colonial agency
- The responsibility of Cricket West Indies and regional governments in preserving sport as a developmental platform
- Cricket’s potential as a tool for education, youth empowerment, and social inclusion
- The importance of regional unity and diplomacy through sport
- Legacy-building and institutional memory for future generations
Michael Findlay highlighted grassroots cricket in Vincentian villages, illustrating how local matches cultivate character, resilience, and community ties long before international acclaim.
The event concluded with a call to action, urging policymakers, sporting bodies, and educators to institutionalise cricket as a public good: investing in infrastructure, youth programmes, and heritage preservation. The session aimed to generate policy recommendations and foster dialogue across the Caribbean cricketing community.
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