Cricket, Cops, and Corruption
St. Vincent and the Grenadines sporting ambassador and international cricketer Kesrick Williams has publicly voiced his deep frustrations with the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, alleging systemic jealousy and institutional sabotage against his athletic career.
Speaking as a caller on the “Activated Mornings” show on WFM 99.9, Williams revealed that he has faced continuous hostility from fellow officers and superiors ever since he joined the police force in 2016.
Despite being granted a specialized work schedule by top officials including the Prime Minister, the Coast Guard Commander, and the Commissioner to accommodate his international cricket commitments, Williams claims colleagues frequently accuse him of doing nothing and “collecting government money for free”.
The core of the conflict, Williams explained, is an ongoing inability to secure time off for his sporting duties and commentary gigs. He stated that over the past two years, he has sent as many as eight letters to the current commissioner of police requesting leave to travel for cricket, all of which have been turned down.
The international bowler directly attributed this bureaucratic resistance to professional jealousy regarding his success and external earnings. He recounted a disturbing incident where a high-ranking police officer calculated his exact monthly income, tallying up his police salary, his West Indies cricket contract, and his corporate ambassadorships with Digicel and companies in India and Trinidad.
According to Williams, the disrespect regularly extends to direct workplace hostility. He noted that sergeants and inspectors have mocked him, ordered him to “hold up the door,” and berated him for driving nice personal vehicles to the station.
He even revealed that during a temporary two-month transfer to the Ministry of Tourism to help organize Emancipation cricket, a senior police officer maliciously spread rumors that Williams had quit the force and subsequently refused to sign any documents bearing Williams’ name.
The roadblocks have also affected high-profile opportunities orchestrated by state officials. Williams disclosed that when he was selected to do commentary for an ESPN regional Super50 tournament, a formal letter requesting his time off sent by the Minister of Tourism (who also serves as the President of Cricket West Indies) was completely ignored by the police hierarchy.
Deeply frustrated by the financial impact of these rejections, Williams admitted to leaving the country without permission on one occasion to fulfill a commentary gig, stating he could not allow the force to stop him from earning $15,000. He further noted that other young cricketers within the police force are facing identical travel rejections but are too scared to speak out.
Despite the ongoing friction and advice to choose between cricket and his law enforcement job, Williams firmly refuses to quit the police force. He explained that remaining in uniform allows him to act as a crucial mentor and “father figure” to the youth in his home community of Spring Village. According to Williams, young people in St. Vincent respect police authority far more than they respect civilians, giving him the unique leverage needed to positively influence their lives.
Looking ahead, Williams is scheduled to travel to Sweden this June to participate in a new, historic cricket league. However, following his explosive radio interview, he admitted he remains uncertain if the police force will actually grant him the necessary time off. Unfazed by potential repercussions, Williams declared that he is not scared to speak the truth and will not be intimidated, regardless of who in the hierarchy gets upset.