Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
THE DIRECTORS of the West Indies Cricket Board are scheduled to meet in Antigua on Tuesday and although the discussions will obviously include plans for the hosting of the World Cup in 2007, the main item on the agenda will be the election of a new president, and the question is this: who will it be?
Will it be Teddy Griffith, or will it be Clarvis Joseph?
Up to a few weeks ago when it had come down to a straight fight between the two, it appeared that Joseph the Antiguan who was the first vice-president before, like former president Pat Rousseau, he resigned a few years ago following, among other things, a dispute with the directors over the firing of West Indies team manager Ricky Skerritt would be a runaway winner.
At that time it seemed that Griffith the Barbadian who has served the Board in many capacities did not have much of a chance. At that time, the word was that Joseph had the support of the Leeward Islands, the Windward Islands, Guyana and Jamaica, Griffith had the support of only Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, no one had any idea who vice-president Val Banks was supporting, and with two votes per territory, that meant that Joseph would romp to victory with eight or nine votes to Griffith's four or five.
The support behind each man was not surprising - not when it is remembered that traditionally Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago vote together, that Jamaica and Guyana vote together, that the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands stick together, and that Joseph is from the Leeward Islands.
Things seem to have changed, however, and based on the latest out of the territories, it could be a close contest with Griffith nosing out Joseph.
Right now, it appears that the Leeward Islands - who nominated him, Jamaica - who seconded the nomination, and one of the two Guyanese are still supporting Joseph, with Barbados - who nominated him, the Windward Islands - who probably just remembered that they had seconded the nomination, and Trinidad and Tobago supporting Griffith.
That would make it six to five for Griffith, and although the second Guyanese apparently is still undecided, Banks, who has one vote as the vice-president, is listed as one for Griffith.
It could be so close that one vote could be the difference - and that one could be in Griffith's favour.
What is interesting is some of the arguments for and against the two candidates and one is nationality.
According to some directors, Griffith is the better man for the job but they will not vote for him simply because he is a Barbadian.
The argument is that three of the four previous presidents - Clyde Walcott, Peter Short and Wes Hall - were Barbadians, and therefore they do not want another Barbadian at this time.
That, however, should not be an issue.
As representatives of their territories, as members of the Board, the directors' only interest should be what is best for West Indies cricket, and if that is so, then regardless of nationality, they should simply vote for the one who, in their opinion, will make the better president - the one who is better suited to lead West Indies cricket.
It should be as simple as that.
