Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley Calls for Cultural and Economic Transformation of West Indies Cricket

Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley says cricket in the Caribbean must go beyond being a sport and become a cultural, unifying and economic force.

Speaking on the opening day of the two-day conference on “Reinvigorating West Indies Cricket – A Symposium for Strategic Collaboration and Innovation”, hosted by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Mottley emphasised the need for investment, gender equality and technological advancement to nurture the legacy of West Indies’ cricket.

Noting cricket in the region is “more than bat and ball”, Mottley also underscored the importance of removing discriminatory practices between men’s and women’s cricket while also exploring the potential of mixed gender cricket matches.

“I place that in context because it is important for us to understand that the mission must be the nurturing of a DNA of excellence that is allowed to spread beyond the boundary into every aspect of our lives as Caribbean people to reflect on the fact that because politicians can’t do better, this is still the best example along with the University of the West Indies of Caribbean civilisation and to accept the obligation that in an interdependent world we must create global citizens with Caribbean roots,” Mottley said. (EZS/CMC)