T Becca: Windies live and direct (10 Sep 1998)

10 September 1998

Windies live and direct

Tony Becca

Caribbean cricket fans who follow the fortunes of the West Indies live on television should be in seventh heaven starting with the coming tour of South Africa.

A group of cricket-loving West Indians have come together, formed a company called Partnership in Cricket Inc. (PICK), and the aim is to establish a Caribbean Television Fund which will provide about US$4 million to pay for live coverage of West Indies cricket - Test and one-day internationals, at home and abroad.

Due to the lack of sponsorship, cricket fans over the years have suffered due to either the lack of live television coverage of Test matches and one-day internationals involving the West Indies or the last-minute decisions to do so by the CBU.

According to PICK, its mission is to find the money which will be handed over to the CBU to facilitate, in the first instance, 120 days of live television coverage during the West Indies tour to South Africa, the home series against Australia, the World Cup in England and the tour to India in 1999-2000.

PICK, whose project leaders are West-Warren Initiatives Inc of Barbados, Warren Richmond and Company of Jamaica, Warren Thompson and Associates of Trinidad and Tobago, and Dynamic Marketing International of Grenada, is represented by Management Advisory Committees in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica.

It is being incorporated in all the cricket countries of the region and contributions to the fund are expected from the public,corporations and governments as well as cricket administrations in the region.

The Caribbean Television Fund will kick off with the sale of subscription coupons later this month, the cost of each coupon willbe US$1.50, coupons will be on sale until March next year and there will be fortnightly draws for prizes which will includemotor cars, airline tickets and cash.

"The greatest, single investment in the Caribbean is this enterprise we call cricket," said University of the West Indiesprofessor, Hilary Beckles at the launching of the Jamaica leg of PICK at the Courtleigh yesterday morning.

"We have done so for a long time, we have done so for over 200 years, we have done so step by step, against all kinds ofobstacles, and we have emerged.

"It is now part of our culture, part of our heritage," said the Barbadian.

"We have not only produced, we have produced the best; and those who produce have a right to consume. As producers ofthe finest cricket in the history of the game, we have a right to consume - to see our cricket wherever it is being played."

Warren Irvine Reid of West-Warren Initiatives, the man behind the move and who, along with colleague Larry Blades andElombe Mottley, was present at yesterday's press conference, said that live television is important to the continued growth ofWest Indies cricket and to the people.

"We need to spread the gospel of cricket through television," said Reid. "It is also important that we do the right thing. And theright thing is to let our people see their people play our game."

Source :: The Jamaica Gleaner (https://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/)