Staff Writer
Nevispages.com
Popular business leader, Mr. Franklin Brand, has been very vocal in describing what he thinks can be done to further improve the game of cricket in the Federation.
Brand, who is a former Speaker of the National Assembly and Former Senator in the Nevis Island Administration, is currently co-owner and the Managing Director of Island Bakeries Ltd on St. Kitts which is a proud sponsor of the Keith Arthurton Cricket Academy.
In an interview with this media house, Brand disclosed suggestions of how cricket can be improved going forward.
“Maybe if there were greater private sector involvement in let’s say, the administration of the sports. Because the private sector, it not only brings money but it also brings skills; organizational skills and stuff like that,” he stated.
“And maybe we should try to promote a marriage between skilled players like Keith and Elquemedo Willett and others and business people who have an interest in the sport to keep cricket alive.” Brand continued.
While Mr. Brand admitted to have never been much of a cricketer himself, he like many other Nevisians enjoyed the game from the stands.
“I have had a tremendous amount of enjoyment as a spectator of cricket. I was never a good cricketer. I think I was much better at football than cricket, but it’s a game I enjoy watching and I think it does a great deal for our nation,” he explained.
“I think we from Nevis, we got on the world scene because of Elquemedo Willett who I went to school with. He broke barriers and so on, and others kept coming through. And I think if we were to inject the wealth of our knowledge in this sport we will see results.”
Mr. Brand also noted that it frustrates a lot of persons to see the tremendous talent God has blessed the twin island Federation with but which is being underutilized.
He identifies himself as one of those persons who has always been willing to work alongside the Keith Arthurton’s and believes that with the tremendous amount of talent found in the Federation, it’s just a question of marshaling it, organizing it and channeling it in the right direction.