Jason Campbell, Akito Willet and Joseph ‘Junie’ Williams are once again free to play local cricket on a competitive basis within the local leagues in Nevis and also for the island team and beyond if required.
This was determined yesterday afternoon at a very important meeting held at the chambers of Mr. Gregory Hardtman, Barrister at Law and Solicitor. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Hardtman himself in his capacity as Chairman of the Nevis Cricket Association’s disciplinary committee. Also present at the meeting were: Ron Daniel-member of the disciplinary committee; Ronald Powell –President of the Nevis Cricket Association; Curtis Morton-PRO of the Nevis Cricket Association; Akito Willet and Jason Campbell. Missing from the meeting was Joseph Junie Williams who was excused with a valid reason.
The meeting was called to bring the much anticipated conclusion to a matter that had made sporting headlines back in October of last year, when according to reports filed by the Manager of the Nevis team which was then participating in the Leeward Islands NAGICO one day series three Nevisian cricketers had been arrested in St.Maarten for alledged possession and smoking of marijuana.
President of the Nevis Crciket Association Ronald Powell indicated that despite the feeling in some circles that his Association had gone to sleep on the matter, his Association had been working overtime to get the relevant reports from the appropriate sources before making any decisions on the matter.
He had solicited the assistance of the Leeward Islands Cricket Board and eventually the Hon Patrice Nisbett in his capacity as Attorney General of St.Kitts and Nevis, in order to get a Police report out of St.Maarten.
Chairman of the Disciplinary committee Gregory Hardtman then read verbatim from the letter received from the Police in St.Maarten which was signed by the Commissioner of Police in St.Maarten CM John.
The following are the contents of the letter which was addressed to Deputy Commissioner of Police in St.Kitts and Nevis, Stafford W. Liburd:
“Dear Deputy Commissioner Liburd.
The central dispatch passed to the patrol unit that there were three suspicious men seen in a blue car on Front Street. The Patrol responded to this call and encountered the three unknown men. The men were controlled and were not in possession of documents to prove their legality on the island.
The men later turned out to be Akito Willet born on St.Croix on June twenty-sixth 1988 and temporarily residing at Midtown Motel room 1, Jason Campbell born in Nevis on November 13th 1985 and temporarily residing at Midtown Motel room six and Joseph Junie Williams born in Nevis on December 12th 1989 and temporarily residing at Midtown Motel room 2.
The three men were detained because they could not prove their legality on the island.
There were no mention of drugs (finding or use).
Hope to have informed you sufficiently
The Acting Chief of Police
Commissioner of Police
C M John”
Mr. Hardtman having read the letter determined that the three cricketers had no case to answer to the disciplinary committee in terms of a breach of the Nevis Cricket.
Association’s code of conduct, based on the report. He then told the cricketers that they were now free to participate in local cricket matches held under the auspices of the NCA.
President Ronald Powell then indicated that he had forwarded a copy of the letter to the Leeward Islands Cricket Board and that the players will also now be free to participate in matches under the control of LICA as well.
Chairman Hardtman, Ron Daniel and President Powell however, used the opportunity to impress on the players the significance of being ambassadors for Nevis and admonished the players to stay ‘on the straight and narrow’. They further advised them to use the experience as a stepping stone to a general improvement in their overall development as cricketers and as individuals.
The two cricketers for their part expressed joy at being freed of the allegations and stated that although they knew that they had committed no wrong, they had been heavily chastised by the sporting public and their reputations had been badly tarnished.
They however both stated that they remain committed to Nevis cricket and will now get ready to continue to strive to get to the top of their game in expressing their full potential
