FORMER West Indies bowler Nehemiah Perry insists that his desire to foster talent development is the sole reason for challenging incumbent Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) First Vice-President Fritz Harris.

The JCA annual general meeting and elections are to be held on May 28, 2026.

Some were surprised when nominations ended on May 14 and news emerged that though JCA President Dr Donovan Bennett will be unopposed, his top-ranked deputy will face a contest.

However, Perry noted that a number of cricket associations and parishes are struggling to stay afloat, and each year fewer high schools can afford to compete in the sport.

The former Jamaica off-spinner, who played first class cricket between 1986 and 2004, said that as first vice-president he could help to stimulate a positive turnaround across the country.

“I believe we have not improved cricket over how many years now,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “The executive needs to take the bull by the horns and start to make some serious decisions as it relates to cricket.”

Perry, the Kingston Cricket Club president, said lack of financial support is the JCA’s major Achilles heel, and that is something he can help to remedy.

“A lot of persons would have known me through cricket or the insurance business… I’m not happy with where we are now as it relates to funding. We need funds to [run] our programmes and we just don’t have it,” he lamented.

“I don’t look at it as a challenge, I look at it as adding some value to the executive of the JCA. I have no agenda but to help to develop cricket. I like Fritz, [he is] my friend, but it’s a democratic world and I think I can help more at that level as part of the executive that makes these decisions.

“I believe that a man of my calibre and standards would bring a little bit more knowledge about the kind of improvement that we need and the kind of structure that we need,” Perry, who featured in four Tests and 21 One-Day Internationals for West Indies between 1999 and 2000, added.

When asked why he did not challenge the president so he could potentially hold greater control, Perry said: “Sometimes you have to take your time, observe, ease into the executive post to see how it runs, and then any minor adjustment you can then deal with accordingly.”

Supporters of the current JCA Administration point to perceived strides that have been made since the executive board took office two years ago, despite development programmes being affected by Hurricane Beryl in mid-2024 and the far more devastating Hurricane Melissa in October 2025.

They say the more frequent staging of international cricket in Jamaica; refurbishing work at Sabina Park, including upgrading the floodlights and replacing the electronic scoreboard; and running of age group programmes, are feathers in the cap of the Bennett-led board.

Harris, a veteran cricket administrator and president of the Clarendon Cricket Association, told the Observer that he was taken aback by Perry’s nomination.

“I’m surprised by the challenge because I thought the board was moving in a very good direction. If you look at what we have achieved over the last two years, we have surprised just about everybody,” Harris said.

“The democratic process gives everyone the opportunity to contest if they so wish, so it’s Mr Perry’s right to challenge. I was not expecting a challenge but the challenge has come and we will just have to deal with that.

“I’m very confident — members have been calling me to give me encouragement to stay the course. Obviously, I won’t be too relaxed and take things for granted; I’ll get into campaign mode soon, and hopefully on the night of elections I’ll be returned [as vice-president],” added Harris who, like Perry, is employed in the insurance industry.

Elsewhere on the executive, the incumbent secretary, Laurence Garriques, is to be challenged by Anthony Davis; Randy Nelson and Keith Walford are to vie for the assistant secretary position; incumbent Kerry Scott and challenger Hopeton Morrison are to contest the job as treasurer; and Michael Atterbury and Ian Spencer are to square off for the post of assistant treasurer. Peter Douglas is unopposed for the second vice-president role.

— Sanjay Myers

HARRIS… I’m surprised by the challenge because I thought the board was moving in a very good direction Photo: Observer file