BCA Vice-president gives assurance that members still support president

By Randy Bennett

The membership of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) is backing its embattled president Conde Riley 100 per cent.

So says vice-president Calvin Hope, who today dispelled fears that the Board of Directors or its members had lost faith in Riley’s ability to lead the BCA, despite his recent reprimand by Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Dr Kishore Shallow.

The 70-year-old Riley is serving his fourth successive term as BCA president. He was first elected in 2017 and was re-elected on August 14, 2023, after edging out Hope 75-72 in one of the most keenly contested races in recent years.

However, Riley has come under fire from Dr Shallow, who among other things accused him of bringing “the entire CWI organisation into disrepute” by his recent actions and comments.

Speaking during a press conference at Kensington Oval this morning where the Barbados Pride squad for the upcoming West Indies Super50 Cup was announced, Hope was asked whether the BCA still had confidence in Riley to do his job in light of Dr Shallow’s admonishment.

“We haven’t lost any confidence in the ability of Mr Riley. You had an election, Mr Riley won the election and the members spoke and that is what it is.

“I’ve been good friends with Mr Riley for a few years. Mr Riley has served the BCA for a number of years, in fact, Mr Riley joined the board in 1996 and I came in 1997. He has served well and it is not an issue in terms of the operation of the BCA,” said Hope.

In a letter dated October 5, Dr Shallow accused Riley of “deeply unsatisfactory aspects of his conduct as a director of CWI and chairman of a CWI committee”.

The CWI president also took umbrage with Riley’s recent public comments, where he announced that the ICC had indicated to the BCA that Kensington Oval had been awarded the semi-finals and finals of next year’s T20 World Cup, despite his efforts to stop Riley from doing so.

When questioned as to whether he wished to make a comment regarding Barbados’ hosting of the World Cup final, Hope said the truth would be revealed in due course.

In fact, Hope, an attorney-at-law described Riley’s recent reprimand by Dr Shallow as “much ado about nothing”.

“I think that in the final analysis the answer will be there and that will answer itself. I think it is much ado about nothing,” Hope said. 

randybennett@barbadostoday.bb