During a recent broadcast of the “On the Record” program, Carlos James addressed the hosting of Caribbean Premier League (CPL) matches in St. Vincent, estimating the total cost to taxpayers at between $1.5 million and $2 million.
James called for greater transparency regarding the true value of government subsidies, tax exemptions, and lost withholding taxes associated with the event. He noted that while he is happy to see CPL games in the country, the public deserves to know the actual expenditure, including fees paid to the CPL organization.
The former minister highlighted that a group of investors recently visited the island to meet with CPL officials and state sports administrators. He expressed hope that these negotiations would lead to St. Vincent owning its own CPL franchise by next year.
According to the sources, James emphasized that the foundation for these developments was laid by the previous Unity Labor Party (ULP) administration. He specifically credited the hard work of individuals such as Annette Mark of the Tourism Authority, Kzri Williams, and Minister Brewster for initiating these discussions long before the current government took office.
Addressing political narratives, James rejected claims that the ULP administration had previously blocked a CPL team from being established in St. Vincent.
He argued that any success in securing a franchise should be viewed as a national victory rather than a partisan one, though he cautioned that the current administration might try to “put feathers in their backs like peacocks” to claim credit for work they did not start. James pointed out the hypocrisy of the current leadership, noting they were once highly critical of ULP spending on the rehabilitation of the Arnos Vale playing field for the World Cup.
The former MP further contrasted the significant spending on CPL with the ongoing economic hardships facing the citizenry, such as high electricity bills and fuel prices. James argued that while the government is spending millions on cricket, it has failed to implement policy measures to subsidize energy costs for poor and working-class people.
James concluded by urging the Ministry of Health and other administrative bodies to show the same level of urgency in addressing public crises, such as the recent hospital bacterium outbreak, as they do in promoting sporting events.
