As the 2026 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) kicked off its opening match at Arnos Vale Playing Field on Saturday, a fresh political controversy has erupted over St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ years-long quest to secure a permanent franchise in the region’s top T20 cricket tournament. Opposition Senator Carlos James, who previously served as tourism minister under the former Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration, has alleged that internal opposition sabotage derailed the country’s bid to join the CPL’s expanding team lineup.
Speaking on the ULP’s affiliated outlet Star Radio this Tuesday, James detailed the multiyear negotiation process he spearheaded when his party held national office. He recalled that during an early conversation with CPL Chief Executive Pete Russell, he turned down an initial offer to only host standalone CPL matches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, pushing instead for a full, permanent franchise for the island nation. “I said, ‘Well, it is something that we can look at, but I want a team’”, James told listeners.
To advance the bid, James traveled to Barbados for direct talks with CPL leadership, while the ULP government secured preliminary agreements with private investors interested in backing a St. Vincent and the Grenadines franchise. Beyond the team itself, James said the deal was set to deliver far-reaching benefits for local cricket, including targeted youth development programs and a new regional sports science facility.
When the CPL moved to expand its roster by adding two new teams ahead of the 2026 tournament, St. Vincent and the Grenadines emerged as one of three final candidates alongside Jamaica and Grenada. Jamaica ultimately claimed the new franchise spot, debuting this year as the Jamaica Kingsmen, filling the gap left when the previous Jamaica-based franchise, Jamaica Tallawahs, exited the league after the 2023 season. According to James, St. Vincent and the Grenadines was widely expected to secure the second new franchise slot, but unnamed actors blocked the bid at the final hour.
James added that Cricket West Indies ultimately intervened and recommended that CPL leadership pause expansion to two new teams for the 2026 cycle, leaving St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ bid to be considered at an unspecified future date. He did not elaborate on the specific identities of those he accuses of blocking the bid, but pointed to opposition figures as the culprits.
The former tourism minister also drew a parallel to the 2025 Emancipation Cricket Festival, a domestic tournament he organized that featured a mix of international, regional, and local up-and-coming players. James noted that the event delivered unprecedented earning opportunities for local young cricketers, who got the rare chance to compete alongside elite international talent. Despite these clear benefits for local sports, James alleged that the then-opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) actively worked against the festival, writing formal letters to Cricket West Indies urging the governing body to not sanction the event.
“All of these things, there is a lot I can say — I can write a book about the nasty nature of some of the persons affiliated with the NDP and what they do behind the scenes in other forums to boycott St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” James said.
The controversy comes with a notable political backdrop: James lost his North Leeward parliamentary seat in the November 2025 general election to NDP candidate Kishore Shallow, who currently serves as president of Cricket West Indies. As of Wednesday, no official response to James’ allegations has been issued by the NDP, CPL leadership, or Cricket West Indies.