President of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Dave Cameron was the special guest at the New York Metropolitan District Cricket Association (NYMDCA) last Wednesday (January 11). The occasion was the professional business networking session.
In the President’s remarks, Cameron noted that the visit to New York was to meet with local cricket organizers and players, as well as with city government officials to explore ways of further developing the growth and popularity of cricket in the Diaspora.
It was pointed out that securing a stadium for cricket in New York City is one of the goals of the NY Metropolitan District Cricket Association, which the WICB encourages and supports.
Cameron also highlighted that in managing the WICB as a business, there are some key priorities which includes meeting players’ needs to facilitate best performances on and off the field. “The team I am a part of now has helped the organisation to move from a deficit to having a surplus of funds,” Cameron noted.
Additionally, he mentioned that currently all West Indian cricketers registered with the WICB are enjoying improved salary arrangements with reasonable wages, which ensure that they can give cricket full-time attention, without the need for a second job.
Currently, compared to four years ago, where there were only 15 full-time players employed by the WICB, there are now 120, with entry-level players getting at least $30,000 (USD) per year.
The event was organised by After Networking Wednesdays (ANW) Coordinating Cohost Gerry Hopkin and Primary Cohost, Edmund Sadio. The meeting was also addressed by Cliff Roye, the president of the New York Metropolitan District Cricket Association, who expressed optimism for the future of cricket in New York.
Michael Roberts of Commonsense Strategies, who along with James Archibald, worked with the leadership of NYMDCA and Charles Simpson in planning the media and other government engagements of Cameron’s Itinerary.
Other planned events on Cameron’s three-day itinerary, included visits to various cricket playing fields, a press conference on the steps of City Hall in Manhattan with NYC officials on Thursday and a Meet & Greet reception at Brooklyn’s Borough Hall, hosted by Borough President Eric Adams, on Friday.
