By Neto Baptiste
It has been six months since the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup came to an end here in Antigua, and although deemed a success where the on-field aspect of the tournament was concerned, some major players are still awaiting payment from the Antigua and Barbuda government.
This is according to President of the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA), Leon Rodney, who said he is bombarded with calls on a daily basis by individuals enquiring as to when they will be paid for services rendered.
“My phone rings almost every minute of the day and I can’t blame the people to want their pay because the World Cup has been finished for a while. We’ve gone to the level now where it was recommended to me that I speak with Mr Weston. So I am now talking to Mr Weston because we can’t take all the calling and, rightfully so, they would have to call either myself or Mr Freeland,” he said.
“Now, I want to make it absolutely clear that the understanding was that all the work that would have been done on behalf of the government by the LOC [Local Organising Committee] that all monies were placed in the Treasury and was dedicated for that purpose, so I can’t see up to now why the people can’t get paid,” he added.
At least one club that is owed in excess of $14,000 for the use of their facility, reported they have yet to receive any payments despite numerous enquiries.
Rodney said the government’s’ failure to make good on the payments could negatively impact the association’s ability to do business, although they are not the ones responsible for dishing out the funds.
“I am asking them, please, pay the people who did the work for the Under-19 World Cup because … once it’s cricket, people believe that the cricket association is in charge. So what you find happening is that you may have some service providers and you may want something done and they tell you ‘ you have to make a deposit because up to now I haven’t gotten paid from World Cup’ which we had nothing to do with World Cup,” he said.
India beat England by four wickets to win their fifth ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup on February 5 at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium.
