Kingston Melbourne Cricket Club president Mark Neita believes their hosting of the induction of US Ambassador Noah Nickolas Perry into the Cricket Hall of Fame could be a significant moment for the development of Jamaican cricket.
Born in Jamaica, Ambassador Perry, an alum of Kingston College, helped promote the growth of the sport in the United States during his tenure as a New York State Assemblyman and earned him the right to be inducted.
“I did everything I could to make sure the New York government recognized the importance of cricket to the Caribbean-American diaspora and that we were given the rights and privileges to use public parks and public places to play the game we love,” he said. in his acceptance speech during the induction ceremony at the Melbourne Cricket Club on Friday.
Neita hopes that as the US ambassador to Jamaica, she will do the same in the country of her birth.
“I think it is very significant. The fact is that the United States of America is going to be the next big market for cricket and when you have someone as an ambassador who is passionate about the game of cricket and is prepared to help, I think that bodes well for the future of a lot of our youngsters,” Neita told Sportsmax. TV.
“I certainly hope that now that he is inducted into the Cricket Hall of Fame, it will open up the channels for us to have a very robust discussion about cricket, how we can develop the game, like the relationship between the United States and Jamaica. can be strengthened, how can we get gear here at discounted prices, because we all know that duty on cricket gear is sometimes prohibitive for our youngsters to get fully dressed for a game.”
His final point about the cost of cricket equipment was an issue raised at the induction ceremony by Hall of Fame Executive Chairman Mike Chambers.
Chambers mentioned that equipment costing US$400 (approx. JMD$61,000) that was donated to Jamaica attracted liabilities of more than JMD$100,000.
Neita explained, explaining that the excessive duty has put a damper on the sport in Jamaica.
“The fact of the matter is that the high cost of equipment has a very negative impact on our young cricketers,” he said.
“It’s almost up to the club for us to help support the cricketers with all their equipment because the reality is this; for a young player, say 12 or 13 years old, to be fully fit with a cricket bat, a pair of pads, helmet, thigh pads, boots, you’re talking about 60 to 70 thousand Jamaican dollars, and the most great is the task.
I just had an experience recently where I brought a pair of cricket boots for one of my young cricketers because they weren’t available here, it cost me 35,000 Jamaican dollars just for the task and the shoes cost £120; I mean it’s just ridiculous to me.
“Look around, you have less people playing cricket, less schools playing cricket and so we have to start how to do something about the sport.”
He hopes Ambassador Perry will be able to help with issues like this.
“And that’s why this is so important. I regret that there were no members of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) but this is an important moment for us and I think this ambassador is passionate about the sport and I am almost certain that he will be a great asset to reverse some of that negativity when it comes to the price of equipment and the connection between Jamaica and the United States, so that’s a very positive,” Neita said.
“We’re excited about it. I think it’s an important event and I think the future is very bright for this collaboration between the USA and Jamaica in terms of cricket.”
