Julian Hunte – A Man with a Vision and a Mission
Reinventing a Dynamic Cultural Sector

By John L. Aaron
I recently had the pleasure of meeting with The Hon. Dr. Julian Robert Hunte, President of the West Indies Cricket Board, and a rather insightful individual. We chatted about his life and his vision of the further development of cricket in the Caribbean, and I found him to be a very engaging personality, who is on a definitive mission to restore cricket in the Caribbean to the glory it once enjoyed.

Who is Julian Hunte?
Beneath the quiet unassuming façade lies a man of enormous strength of character, wisdom, faith in God, passion for the game of cricket, and a steel-like commitment to helping turn West Indies cricket around.

The Hon. Dr. Julian Robert Hunte, SLC, O.B.E., D.Litt. has been preparing for the enormous job of president of the West Indies Cricket Board for twenty-eight years. His preparation included stints as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Saint Lucia to the United Nations, Trade Unionist, President of the 58th Session of the United Nations, Husband, Father of four, Saint Lucia Government Minister, Senator, Member of Parliament, Businessman, Chairman, City Councilor, Political Activist, Bank Director and President of the Saint Lucia Mental Health Association - jobs that uniquely qualifies him to head the WICB, as that body attempts to turn the corner and the minds of its players and supporters, toward better days and accomplishments, on and off the field of play.

Understanding the Dynamics
A former St. Lucia national wicketkeeper and cricket administrator, Ambassador Hunte has served in various capacities at the national and regional levels of cricket in the Caribbean. As a former President of the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association, the Windward Islands Cricket Board, Vice President of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), and WICB representative to the International Cricket Council (ICC), and most recently as Director, ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007, Inc., he is qualified to lead West Indies cricket.

Ambassador Hunte’s involvement in the political and cultural landscape of cricket at the regional levels in the Caribbean, gives him a unique perspective of the dynamics involved in promoting a sport that is part of the cultural DNA of the average Caribbean individual. His understanding of the nuances of West Indies cricket and the idiosyncrasies of the culture are also worthwhile assets.

A Visionary
The recipient of an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, Julian Robert Hunte is widely recognized as a diplomat with an extraordinary ability to encourage others to see beyond their “proverbial noses.” He was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1979 for his dedicated service to the Government and people of Saint Lucia.

Responding to the common claim that there is insularity in West Indies cricket, Dr. Hunte is quick to put down such accusations, by saying “I have not seen any level of insularity.” He adds, “An organization that goes from having six selectors to three, is hardly affected by an environment of insularity.” A reference to the six major territories represented on the WICB.

Julian Hunte’s vision for West Indies cricket is largely based on reinventing the dynamics of the cultural sector of the sport, in a region where cricket is regarded as more than just a recreational pastime. The fervor with which the sport is received in the Caribbean, centers on the performance of its cultural icons of the game, as much as the administration of the sport, two areas that engages the attention of the president. His vision is to rekindle the fire on those fronts; affording the players every possible avenue to perform at their maximum levels and changing the perceptions of the supporting public.

Creating a larger vision for how the sport is viewed in the Caribbean is only one aspect of Julian Hunte’s mission, but the fatherly figure’s intent is to start reversing the mindset of both player and public, so that they may both embrace the concept of success being the result of cooperative efforts, on and off the field of play. His vision encapsulates a mission based on restoring pride and profitability to West Indies cricket.

Mission Supreme
The Hon. Dr. Julian Robert Hunte is on a mission to restore West Indies cricket to its “dignity” and supremacy of the 70’s. He plans on accomplishing those tasks via the old fashioned way - one brick at a time, although when one listens to President Hunte, one gets the distinct impression that he is on a fast track approach, in the interest of time.

The skilled diplomat and negotiator recognize the importance of building relationships, with the players association, the players, corporate sponsors, and last but not least, the general public.

The recipient of his nation’s highest honor – The Saint Lucia Cross, Julian Hunte does not choose to leave faith solely in the hands of God. He’s a hard worker, who believes that almost everything is accomplished through dedication and hard work. He noted that his wife Jennifer acknowledges that the presidency of the West Indies Cricket Board is “…the job that may give him the greatest satisfaction.” Her words don’t come easily, as the Ambassador is determined to work at his mission of building bridges across the cricket Diaspora. His 28-year involvement in West Indies cricket is a testimony to his love of the game, the region and his commitment to rebuilding a structure for the next generation of cricketers and administrators. He quietly chided previous administrators who ignored former West Indies Test captain Clive Lloyd’s vision for West Indies cricket, saying. “Why (my) predecessors did not support that structure – I don’t know.” When pressed, for a more definitive answer, Hunte ruefully answers, “That is a question I have been asked. I don’t know why, but I am Julian Hunte.” It was obvious from his body language that he was not suggesting personal superiority, but wishing to establish a sense of self-assurance, that he is prepared to challenge any notion that something cannot be accomplished, unless attempted.

Julian Hunte was alluding to Lloyd’s call for the accelerated development of cricket in the Caribbean from the school and academy levels, through a Caribbean-wide cricket league; as the building blocks for better prepared players. Dr. Hunte’s mission is to have Barbados as the academy hub with other territories as the spokes of a development program for training cricketers. He envisages the United States being afforded slots at the academy, with US/WICB collaborative projects aimed at the development of cricket in this hemisphere. He said that the USA could be the staging ground for matches involving teams outside of the West Indies, and suggested that a visit to the USA by the University of the West Indies’ Professor Dr. Hilary Beckles, another visionary of West Indies cricket, may help to cement cricketing opportunities between the Caribbean and the USA.

Dr. Beckles, recently knighted, is widely regarded as representing the broadest range of Caribbean perspectives on the game of cricket. The well-respected scholar and historian of the game in the West Indies, has studied the rise and fall of West Indies cricket from its inception through its global dominance of the 70’s. Beckles would be an excellent person to act as a vehicle for driving the sport in the USA, and bridging the geographical proximity of the Caribbean to the USA.

Building Bridges
Within weeks of assuming the presidency of the West Indies Cricket Board, Dr. Julian Hunte sought the support of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) representative Dinanath Ramnarine, by appointing the latter to the WICB as one of its four non-member directors. Ramnarine’s appointment to the board was met with criticism from some quarters, who feel it’s a conflict of interest to have the WIPA representative sit on the board. However, Hunte’s perspective is completely different, because the skilled former trade unionist sees it as a positive opportunity to help develop an environment of trust, transparency and mutual benefit for West Indies cricket to grow. Hunte has also engineered the appointments of Sir Hilary Beckles, Clive Lloyd and Ken Hewitt, as Non-Member Directors on the board, with the latter serving as its fiscal watchdog.

The thought-provoking president of the WICB who has an engaging style, shifted gears when he focused on the role of Sir Allen Stanford’s 20/20 money transfusion into West Indies cricket, as well as that of Sagicor Financial Group’s projected US$2MM development program for the sport in the Caribbean. Sagicor’s collaborative effort with the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados Campus is aimed at laying a sustainable foundation for developing a balance between cricket and education in the Caribbean. It is hoped that the program will help to create a pool of well-rounded cricketers, better prepared for the global challenges of a career in cricket.

It is along such tracks that one can align the vision of Julian Hunte, who is firmly rooted in creating a sustainable environment for the West Indies cricketer and his family. He is determined to work with individuals such as Sir Allen Stanford – the Antigua & Barbuda based American billionaire, and corporations such as Sagicor, to help in the growth of the sport as a viable career and industry.

The WICB is widely seen as needing to mend fences with its players, while assuaging the fears of the fans, exercising fiscal responsibility, and re-inventing itself in the corporate marketplace of commercialization. None of those are easy tasks, except Ambassador Hunte sees any inherent risks only as opportunities for effecting change. He readily admits that there is a credibility issue facing the WICB and he intends to address it head on. He says that he will communicate with the general public via Press Releases and other media, because he wants to establish an environment of inclusiveness rather than exclusiveness. He went on to mention encouraging not only the WIPA, but also the Umpires Association, Women’s Cricket Federation, former players and even the media to become a part of the development plan.

The WICB president identifies the reorganization of the board’s Secretariat and the appointment of committees specific to change, as crucial elements in his plan to bring West Indies cricket back to the fore.

Selling Change
Building relationships, bridges and confidence are apt to become the hallmarks of Julian Hunte’s tenure in office. In order to sell his vision, Julian Hunte must juggle the unenviable task of creating a viaduct between the WICB, the players, fans and sponsors, more so, between the WICB and the WIPA. The WIPA has established a perfect 5-0 record in arbitration hearings involving the two organizations, the significance of which has not been lost on the players or the general public, in their perceiving the WICB as being inept and lacking the desire to negotiate in good faith with the players.

Hunte acknowledges that the WICB’s greatest asset is its players, and thus the relationship between the two must be pursued on the basis of mutual co-existence to ensure a win-win and win environment. He admires the passion that drives Dinanath Ramnarine, as well as the players’ representative’s ability to articulate positions on behalf of those he represents. Despite the criticism, Ramnarine’s involvement on the WICB is seen by some as the catalyst for change, because it places the player’s representative smack in the middle of the discussions involving the very individuals he represent. Such immediacy, hopefully lends itself to a better understanding of the dynamics involved in the issues under consideration.

Thus, Julian Hunte has begun the task of selling change to those directly involved in the process, and as everyone knows you are inclined to sell more passionately, when you use the very product you are selling.

Responding to criticism of the relevance of the WICB to the development of the sport in the Caribbean, Dr. Hunte emphatically states that he intends to make the WICB relevant once more. He also acknowledges that the development of a professional cricket league in the Caribbean would significantly enhance the growth and standard of play in the region.

With the Grace of God and Others
Julian Hunte just might need more than faith in God and a belief in himself to sell his vision, but he has already been blessed by divine intervention. The 67-year old WICB president is the recipient of a Papal Knighthood from Pope John Paul II. In September 2004, Dr. Julian Hunte was conferred the Papal Honor of the Knight of Grand Cross Pian.

Hunte acknowledges that West Indies cricket belongs to all the people of the Caribbean, and he intends to reach out to all for their support and help, admitting that he cannot accomplish his mission single-handily. The first WICB president from the Windward Islands is keen to point out that he needs to involve not only the cricketing organizations of the territories, but the political leaders, as well. He strongly feels that the positive involvement of all at this time of West Indies cricket is crucial to the sport in the Caribbean.

Dr. Robert Julian Hunte will need all the help he can get, but he has already demonstrated his ability to reach out to God and those who share his vision, and are also willing to be a part of his mission.
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