What's happening to BCA meetings? Best of strokes

The Barbados Cricket Association's (BCA) annual general meetings are becoming more of a farce year after year.

The absence of meaningful statements of plans and policies by candidates redound only to the deterioration of the institutional competency of the association.

This is further manifested by the dwindling participation of the nearly 2 000-strong membership in the election process.

Lethargy, cynicism and widespread decadence are fast becoming the adjectives to describe the BCA and cricket in general in Barbados.

The turn of a new century has not brought with it the required progressive thinking and institutional building which cricket, as a major sport in Barbados, so desperately needs.

Much of the aspirations of administrators seems centered around cosmetic benefits and personal aggrandisement.

For example, when asked about the possibility of developing Kensington as a day/night cricket centre, Stephen Alleyne said that a study now has to be done.

One has to bear in mind that the rest of the world is at a far stage of technological advancement, which includes lights, electronic scoreboards, huge television projectors and multi-media facilities.

On the question of covering pitches, no clear response as to the specifics, the dimensions, tournaments, divisions or even timings for such an important innovation was given by the BCA's chief, who was acting at the time.

The exclusive facilities at the Sherbourne Conference Centre did little to raise the level of and seriousness of thinking among the big bosses of cricket administration in Barbados.

The fact that Alleyne won the presidential election over Owen Estwick by 211 to 94 votes, offers a little more hope to the cricketing fraternity.

This is not to say of course, that there's enormous enthusiasm amongst members about the future of cricket in the island.

Far from, for in the absence of any decisive mandates from interested groups or the clubs generally, the association may be in the same limbering position since the Peter Short era of presidency.

However, the Best of Strokes believes that unless the new leadership of Alleyne and company solicits greater club involvement, strengthens the capacity of the umpires' association, and redefine the association's role in the overall management of cricket in Barbados, the game will remain just a hobby.

It would also be in danger of being, for many youngsters, a 'celebrities party' for a handful of unwitting detractors.