by TONY BEST

THE WEST INDIES CRICKET BOARD (WICB) plans a $600 million boost for cricket.

The five-year strategic development plan will, however, be put up for discussion by the public before the green light is given.

WICB president Julian Hunte told the SUNDAY SUN the plan would cover every aspect of the sport, from the schools, youth and communities in all of the countries to first class and Test match levels and it would seek to involve past and current players, as well as all of the "stakeholders".

It will also include plans for a West Indies Professional Cricket League.

"We have discussed most of the elements of the strategic plan with our board and it is my intention to publish the draft plan within a month to give people in the region a chance to contribute to it," Hunte said.

"We see ourselves as the custodians of West Indian cricket and in putting a plan together, I don't think it is prudent for us to just put it out and say this is it.

"We prefer a situation in which the general public and those persons who are keen on cricket are given an opportunity to discuss, evaluate and contribute to it. The plan is for five years and the estimated cost is in the vicinity of (US)$300 million."

The WICB boss also said that the process called for the "draft" to be discussed at several meetings in the various countries, culminating in a conference to complete it, and after that it would be reviewed every year "to ensure we remain on track".

The money to finance this extensive undertaking, according to the president, is expected to come from the board itself, the private sector and the "stakeholders in various forms". In addition, the WICB plans to seek assistance from the International Cricket Council (ICC), the global body that controls the game, to help implement it.

"I have already signalled to the ICC that I would like for the next meeting of the ICC for the development of the game to be put on the agenda," he said.

Hunte described the plan as the foundation on which to build the game's future in the "various territories" instead of the current situation in which the board and others "are just going along from day-to-day, in an almost crisis management" fashion to put the game back on a pathway to greatness.

"We are attempting to lay the foundation for the future of West Indies cricket," he said.

"There is going to be an important role for the past and the current players, the players' association and others who are interested in the game's development."