| January 30,
2008: Cuba's national cricket team is to make an
historic maiden overseas tour this May, thanks to an
initiative by Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St.
Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). Cricketers from the
Communist Caribbean nation, who because of the American
embargo were prohibited from participating in the Stanford
2020 games, will visit SVG to play a series of matches.
The announcement was made Monday during a ceremony in which
Prime Minister Gonsalves presented $15,000 worth of cricket
gear to the Cuban ambassabor at Cabinet Room at Government’s
Headquarters in Kingstown. "People of the region and
people of the world, would see the unfairness, of the
extraterritorial jurisdiction, of American laws in relation
to Cuba." said the Prime Minister in reference to the
Helms-Burton act which prohibited American billionaire,
Allan Stanford from financing the much anticipated
integration of Cuba in the 2008,
20/20 tournament.
In a December 2007,
release Stanford announced that " Due to the United
States embargo against Cuba, organisations and American
citizens such as Sir Allen Stanford have to make application
to, and receive special permission from the US Government to
conduct any type of activity with that Caribbean nation.
Stanford's application was denied". Cuba was
scheduled to play in the first match against St. Maarten on
Friday, 25 January 2008.
In his address on Monday, Prime Minister Gonsalves said
that he may approach the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to
request that Cuba be invited to participate in the regional
domestic competition under that body. He says he intends to
seek advice on the matter in relation to Helms-Burton and
will take the initiative if favorable advice is received
from those knowledgeable in the area. |
