WICB restructuring to meet the challenges

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is restructuring the organisation to meet the challenges of developing and sustaining a successful future for West Indies Cricket. President of the WICB, Pat Rousseau, announced today that the Board is re-organising itself to be in a position to deliver the various recommendations that emerged from the November 2000 Review and some outstanding actions from the 1996 Cricket Strategic Plan.

Rousseau said that the Board was re-organising into six major teams:

1. Cricket Operations
2. Development
3. Human Resources and Administration
4. Marketing
5. Finance and
6. Communications

To this end, four (4) new senior management and two (2) middle management positions had been created while two (2) senior management positions in the old structure would become redundant since the functions would be covered in the new jobs.

The new positions, that will be advertised regionally in the next few days, are for four of the team leaders - Chief Cricket Operations Officer, Chief Cricket Development Officer, the Company Secretary who will head the Human Resources and Administration Team, and the Communications Officer - as well as a Web Manager and Merchandise Manager.

The posts of Executive Secretary and Director of Coaching will be phased out and their functions integrated into the job descriptions of the four new senior positions. WICB CEO, Gregory Shillingford said " The matter had been discussed with the Andrew Sealy and Reg Scarlett, the two staff members whose posts would be made redundant, and they were also given the option to apply for the new posts." A meeting was also held with the WICB staff to inform them of the restructuring programme.

The existing posts of Chief Marketing Executive and Chief Finance Officer would remain as leaders of their teams.

The WICB President, Pat Rousseau said that the Board was intent on strengthening the cricket development programme throughout the region. Consequently, the Chief Cricket Development Officer would have responsibility for the continued growth and improvement of standards of cricket for adults and children at all levels in the various territories. This would include women's cricket, softball and development of facilities.

Similarly, the post of Chief Cricket Operations Officer was being created with a development focus to ensure that all arrangements are successfully made for expanded and highly competitive regional competitions in addition to international home and away tournaments.

The creation of the Human Resources and Administration team led by the Company Secretary, the President said is a response of the need to improve corporate governance, as well as services to and relations with the members of the WICB, staff, players and other stakeholders.

The Communications Officer would focus on enhancing the image of the WICB and managing media relations to ensure that there is a common understanding of the role, scope and requirements of West Indies Cricket by all stakeholders.

The two new posts in the Marketing Department were created to service the new income-generating areas of merchandising and e-commerce, including the management of the Board's web-site.

Rousseau said that at the Board Meeting on Monday, January 29, in Grenada that the WICB November 2000 Review would be further discussed prior to sharing the WICB Cricket Strategic Plan with all Stakeholders at various fora. The strategy session held over two days in Antigua in November 2000 was a gathering of distinguished former and current West Indian cricketers, umpires, administrators, cricket journalists, members of the Cricket Committee and selectors.