Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

AFTER WEEKS of campaigning, the race for the presidency of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) will climax today with the staging of the elections at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

In easily the most high-profile JCA election in the nation's history, the race is between incumbent first vice-president Paul Campbell and Ambassador Courtney Walsh.

Campbell is a businessman and has been serving as deputy to outgoing president Jackie Hendriks for the past four years. His vision is to see cricket re-establish itself as the number one sport and recreational activity in the country.

Walsh's hope is to see cricket get back to the basics, in schools and communities where, he says, it matters most.

100 delegates

The contest will be decided by about 100 delegates who hail from various local cricket clubs, parish associations and affiliate groups. These include Senior Cup and Junior Cup cricket clubs and parish associations, coaches and umpires associations, county associations, honorary board members and directors of the association.

"It will be very, very close as, while a lot of people have been pleased with the performance of the JCA over the past four years, they are finding it difficult to vote against Ambassador Walsh, who has given so much to the sport," said one delegate, who declined to be identified.

"Furthermore, not everybody is comfortable with Campbell's 'heavy-handed' style of leadership as, while he gets things done, he tends to offend a lot people. Walsh, on the other hand, while he may possess a 'brand' name, has not proven that he is capable leader, administratively, and that has made a lot of delegates uncomfortable," the source added.

Both candidates, who are expressing confidence heading into the encounter, will be fielding campaign slates, with Campbell offering to the delegates four incumbent executive board members and Walsh one.

On the Campbell slate are incumbent second vice-president Cleveland Kedoo, general secretary Milton Hamilton, and Hugh Perry, who will each be seeking to retain their posts, while treasurer Dave Cameron will vie for the office of first vice-president.

Newcomers

The other members of Campbell's team - Major Radcliffe Daley and Malden Miller - are newcomers, and will be seeking the posts of treasurer and assistant general secretary.

As it relates to Walsh's slate, he is being supported by incumbent assistant general secretary Ian Brown, who will be seeking to retain his post, and local and regional administrators Lynden Wright (first vice-president), Fitz Harris (second vice-president), Dennis Gordon (general secretary), Courtney Daley (treasurer) and Maurice Clarke (assistant treasurer).