St Vincent PM Gonsalves: Not enough cricket in 'Vincy'

Dr Ralph Gonsalves, the prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines and a cricket enthusiast, is concerned that St Vincent is being overlooked by Cricket West Indies (CWI) to host international cricket as the relationship between the Windward Islands country and the regional cricket body is "poisoned."

On February 11, speaking on Mason and Guest, a Barbados-based cricket radio show, Dr Gonsalves said he was hopeful that matches during Australia's tour of West Indies would have been held in St Vincent.

"Given the poisoned state of relations between the government of the St Vincent and the Grenadines and CWI, how can they be any proper ongoing cooperation and collaboration between one of the member states of CWI and CWI in this current leadership."

Instead, three Test matches and five T20 matches will be split up between Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica and St Kitts from end of June to the end of July during the Australia tour of West Indies.

The Arnos Vale Playing Field in Kingstown, St Vincent, did host a three-match T20 series against Bangladesh in December.

Gonzales questioned Dr Kishore Shallow's involvement in politics in St Vincent and holding the position as CWI president simultaneously.

Shallow has been selected as a candidate for the New Democratic Party (NDP) to contest the next general election in St Vincent, expected to be held in 2025. Shallow will contest the North Leeward Constituency Division. The NDP is the main opposition of the Unity Labour Party, led by Gonsalves.

Shallow, on going up for the position of CWI president again, told TVJ of Jamaica, "I am considering it. I am open to going on for another term," he said on February 10. "It is something I will have to obviously decide once I have finished my consultation with the other directors, and if the support is there and the desire is there for me to continue, then I am committed." CWI elections will be held in March. Nominations for the position of president and vice-president will close on February 26.