GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands (CMC):
TEXAS BUSINESSMAN Allen Stanford has hit back at the West Indies Cricket Board, saying that its president Ken Gordon had been kept aware of the plans for the proposed Twenty20 tournament.
In a statement from the board of directors of the Stanford Twenty20 tournament, issued by public relation consultants Kelly Holding Ltd., Stanford also said that he did not view the WICB as "managers of the funds."
"From the outset Allen Stanford has been fully supportive of Ken Gordon and has kept him apprised of the plans for the Stanford Twenty/20 Tourna-ment," the statement said.
"We also understand WICB is the governing body of cricket in the West Indies and support them as such. It is and has always been our intention to work with them on this initiative. However, we do not see them as the managers of the funds, considering that some of the nations involved do not fall under the auspices of the WICB."
It continued: "The intention is to aid these countries in developing their facilities and assist the funding of their existing coaching and player- development programmes."
The WICB issued a statement on behalf of its territorial boards on Monday, which indicated that there needed to be dialogue between Stanford and the WICB over the proposed tournament.
DESIRE TO GENUINELY ASSIST
"The generous offer of assistance, which is proposed, is to be welcomed, but if it is Mr. Stanford's desire to genuinely assist in the development of cricket, we would expect this to be progressed in conjunction with existing Caribbean initiatives, which are well advanced," the statement from the WICB on behalf of the six territorial boards said.
"Visits to our respective territories have been made by envoys of Mr. Stanford and we have indicated general interest in his proposal to offer funding. But we have made it clear that we expect these arrangements to be pursued through our collective participation at the level of the West Indies Cricket Board."
But Stanford defended his stance on the issue, pointing out that it was not the intention of the tournament to conflict with any of the board's existing programmes.
"It is our desire to work with the WICB and all other interested parties toward the success of the Stanford Twenty/20 Tournament and the rebuilding of the sport that is so integral to the people of the West Indies," the statement continued.
"The intention is not to overshadow or conflict with any of the WICB's existing programmes, but to hopefully complement their mammoth undertaking of developing West Indies cricket."
The initial roll out of funds for the Twenty20 tournament is scheduled to begin in January next year and the statement from the board of directors said that all but two territories had submitted "detailed plans on how they will utilise the funds to this end."
"Many of them are investing in practice pitches, bowling machines, nets, rollers, etc., items that will benefit their cricket development at all levels, not just for the Stanford Twenty/20," the statement said.
