Kishore Shallow, Minister of Tourism for St. Vincent and the Grenadines and President of Cricket West Indies (CWI), has firmly declared his intention to complete his current term leading the regional cricket body through 2027. The announcement comes amid growing scrutiny regarding his capacity to balance both high-profile positions simultaneously.
In an exclusive interview with iWitness News, Shallow revealed he has received explicit endorsement from Prime Minister Godwin Friday, regional leaders, and the CWI board to maintain his presidential role. The minister, who also serves as parliamentary representative for North Leeward, was elected unopposed to his second consecutive three-year term in March, following a similar uncontested election previously.
Addressing concerns about potential conflicts of interest, Shallow clarified fundamental misconceptions about the nature of the CWI presidency. “The position is not executive nor full-time,” he stated, explaining that the operational secretariat remains based in Antigua while he performs his duties remotely. The governing body is considering rebranding the role as ‘Chairman of the Board’ to better reflect its actual responsibilities.
Shallow expressed confidence that his constituents overwhelmingly support his dual roles, attributing criticism to “a small minority with personal grievances” rather than genuine public concern. He guaranteed that his CWI responsibilities would not compromise his ministerial duties, pledging to resign immediately if workload conflicts emerged.
The cricket administrator outlined compelling professional reasons for continuing his tenure, emphasizing the implementation of CWI’s 2024-2027 strategic plan. With approximately 70% of organizational reforms already achieved, Shallow aims to reach near-complete implementation before departing. Critical initiatives include financial stabilization through commercial operations restructuring, securing equitable revenue distribution from the International Cricket Council, and establishing a robust succession plan.
Shallow noted that parliamentary representation in cricket governance is not unprecedented, citing current ICC board members who also hold legislative positions. His determination to continue stems from both board support and personal commitment to seeing through transformative changes he initiated, believing sustained leadership is essential for Caribbean cricket’s future stability.