JCA president welcomes 4-year term after constitutional shift

JAMAICA Cricket Association (JCA) President Dr Donovan Bennett, set to return unopposed at next week’s elections, says he is feeling “pretty good” about serving an extended four-year term. The JCA board of directors recently passed a constitutional change extending term limits from two years to four years. Bennett, 79, said he will walk away if he thinks he can no longer effectively carry out his duties. “Right now, I’m feeling pretty good. But if at any time I feel that, within myself, that I cannot continue, then I will do the right thing, I’ll step down,” the incumbent JCA boss told the Jamaica Observer. Bennett, who previously served as JCA vice-president, defeated then-incumbent Wilford “Billy” Heaven for the top job in April 2024. Bennett said he welcomes the “significant change” to the term limit, noting it provides stability for execution of programmes. “The membership thought that two years were much too short to have a meaningful tenure or to have the time to get things done so they’ve put it in line with other bodies, which is now four years,” he explained. The JCA elections, to be held alongside the annual general meeting, are set for Kingston Cricket Club at Sabina Park on Thursday October 8, starting at 11:00 am.

A section of Kingston Cricket Club at Sabina Park (Photo: Observer file)

Bennett expressed gratitude for the membership’s continued vote of confidence. “I am grateful. It’s an honour to serve again unopposed. It shows that I must have been doing something right, you know, for the membership to be pointing in that direction,” he said. Though the presidency is decided, there will be challenges elsewhere. Former West Indies spinner Nehemiah Perry, who currently serves as president of Kingston Cricket Club, is to vie for the second vice-president role against St Ann Cricket Association boss Keith Walford. Perry had previously indicated interest in challenging first JCA Vice-President Fritz Harris but has since shifted focus to the second vice-presidency. Another eye-catching race centres on the post as general secretary, where Anthony Davis is to battle the incumbent Laurence Garriques. The Electoral Office of Jamaica is expected to conduct the polls, which Bennett said is to remove any perception of favouritism, or lack of transparency, and any semblance of irregularity. — Sanjay Myers