Betrayed

Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves has come out swinging aganst the poor performance displayed by the West Indies cricket team in the the current ICC Cricket World Cup being played in the West indies.

Speaking to members of the media last Monday, Dr Gonsalves said the team's performance had amounted to to a betrayal of the Caribbean people whom he said have done so much to to make the World Cup in the Caribbean possible.

"I like speaking on these terms and I know when I speak this way, I will be criticized as a politician for putting my mouth in the business of cricket," Dr Gonsalves said

"But I am speaking here not so much as Prime Minister, certainly not as Chairman of Caricom, I am speaking as Ralph Gonsalves, a Caricom citizen and a cricket follower and lover."

Dr gonsalves said everyone in the region have organised themselves for the big occasion, except the players.

"The media have mobilized themselves and the people of the region. The police and defense services have done an excellent job. The immigration authorities, the health personnel, the civil society, and ordinary citizens who have volunteered have been of a high quality throughout the region." Dr Gonsalves said.

He said these were done to make the ICC Cricket World Cup a first class affair, the best ever, "and we are playing at home and the cricketers seem to be performing with no sense of commitment or even dignity."

According to Dr Gonsalves, over US$750 million were spent by the governments in the region to make the ICC cricket world cup a reality in the Caribbean.

"That is why I used the word that the people of the region feel betrayed and there must be a corrective by these players," Dr Gonsalves said.

Dr Gonsalves said his criticism was not aimed at any of the players,the coaches, selectors or the West Indies Cricket Board, but he was making a plea for the players to lift their game.

"I think that the players are professional persons of quality and I am sure that they are playing for more than money. But if they are playing for more than money they must show us on the field that is what is happening. I am not making any statement to to them in any individual way, save and except to say this, and frankly speaking we deserve better from our team, we expected much more" Dr Gonsalves said.

"To tell you that I am let down is to put it mildly"

Dr Gonsalves,however, said he is still hopeful the team would make it to the semi final stage, even though it was doubtful but still possible.

"All I am asking, I am pleading for those involved to lift their game" Dr Gonsalves said.