ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Jamaican career diplomat Gail Mathurin and Barbadian business executive Hallam Nicholls said they were “honoured” to be appointed directors of Cricket West Indies (CWI).

Mathurin and Nicholls are the new non-member (independent) directors, and their appointments for one year were ratified during a virtual CWI board of directors meeting last Thursday.

With Mathurin being named as a director, it now means that CWI will for the first time in its history have two women on its board; Debra Coryat-Patton, a Trinidadian attorney, is the other female director.

“As a long-time, passionate fan, and supporter of West Indies cricket, I am very honoured to be appointed as an independent director to the board of CWI,” she said.

“I am looking forward with great excitement to working with the president, Dr Kishore Shallow, other members of the board and the secretariat of CWI, in addressing the challenges facing our cricket at this time.”

Nicholls served on several committees of the Barbados Cricket Association, one of the shareholders of CWI, over the years, and he said the commercial potential for the game will drive his contribution in this new posting.

“I am honoured to have been afforded the opportunity by Dr Kishore Shallow, and CWI to serve in this capacity and offer my years of experience in business to help advance the West Indies cricket agenda,” he said.

“I am particularly keen in helping to shape the business of sport, as cricket still has tremendous untapped potential for us here in the Caribbean. I look forward to contributing to put smiles back on the faces of our people.”

Aside from Coryat-Patton, Mathurin, and Nicholls, the other independent director is Manniram Prashad, a past minister of tourism, industry and commerce in Guyana.

Shallow said CWI was privileged to have the four new directors serve on the board at this time, especially Mathurin and Nicholls.

“They bring a wealth of experience with a global perspective and are highly knowledgeable about the dynamics of commercial and trade in our region,” he said. “Undoubtedly, the organisation will benefit immensely from their involvement, and the return of directors Coryat-Patton and Prashad.

“Appointing two women out of the four positions for independent directors is consistent with the aim to bring more diversity to the boardroom of CWI. Both Ms Mathurin and Ms Coryat-Patton are first-rate experts in their respective fields, and with enthusiasm, I look forward to their meaningful contributions to the board.”