By Bryan Davis, former West Indies Test cricketer

It is sad to witness in our country, which is continually looking to establish its place in the sun among the world’s best, the pettiness of our people. It is as if we are not able to see the wood for the trees, doing injustice to ourselves rather than supporting one another.

I’m alluding to the fact that a state-owned firm like Petrotrin could even contemplate not allowing our cricket captain Daren Ganga to lead our nation’s team to that high profile tournament in India next month.

This competition is based on an invitation to all winning teams (state, province, island, zone) in 20/20 cricket in all the Test playing countries of the world, to participate in an event to find the champion team in that format of the game. The stakes are US one million dollars for the winner and lucrative appearance fees. T&T qualified as the Caribbean champions, being the winners of the Stanford 20/20 tournament of 2008. The West Indies board has never held its own competition; the organisers decided, after some persuasion, to recognise the Stanford champs as representative of the West Indies. One notes therefore, the prestige and honour the event will hold for its winners; besides the fact that the participants have a grand opportunity to meet other players from so many countries, a moment in time that may not come again.

This is the background to a world contest, recognised by the International Cricket Council, whose stamp of approval is necessary for status.

Ganga applied for the necessary leave so that he could proceed with his plans for the tour. He must have been shocked at the refusal of his company’s management. Then again maybe not! What would have been important here was whether Petrotrin had an agreement with the T&T skipper before he assumed the position a few years ago. Nothing has been said about that. Then again, given the importance and historical significance of the fixture, even an agreement could be suspended for the greater good.

It is difficult to accept that this gentleman, the national captain for the past six or seven years, also the official West Indies vice-captain on the tour of England in 2007, where he led the side in two Test matches, would have been offered a post in this state-run company without the management being aware that he played cricket at the highest level! The mind boggles! It is ludicrous to assume that he had 37 days leave already and was not due any more. For heaven’s sake, he’s not going on a fete-match tour or to waste his time on a lime with the boys, this is a high profile tournament involving various Test and first-class players representing the best teams in their country’s domestic cricket.

Would the company lose its way, or its profits be under-mined, because their main man in community relations has gone away for a few weeks to play cricket for his country? It ought to be a fillip to his position and, as a matter of course, the company should be proud, offering good luck sentiments to him and his team. Bureaucracy has a way of defeating common sense every time!

There are a couple of things that must come into the equation here and I am loath to even think them. The first one is jealousy. Daren Ganga has everything going for him and he has achieved most of his cricket goals (except probably being more productive at Test level). He has done so well for himself financially through cricket, maybe the feeling that he’s being given another opportunity to stuff his already-filled purse might leave some annoyed at his good fortune and those working at the company would be thinking that they have to fit in and do his work while he’s out enjoying the good life and being paid for it too! I can report from experience that jealousy is rampant in the work-place and clubs from the non-achievers and the insecure. I have no doubt that Daren would be facing such wickedness.

The other matter that is worrying is the reaction of his bosses and work colleagues on his return. Their treatment of him in the work-place, driven by envy (especially if he leads T&T to victory), would make it an awkward place to carry on with his duties. Then again, by now, Daren should know who his friends are and would be able to identify with them to ensure that he’s comfortable in his environment. It will do him well to remember that the jealous and envious ones, having no substance, usually disappear like a puff in the wind!

I would like to personally commend Jack Warner for using his status as a Member of Parliament and President of CONCACAF, to ensure that the correct decision was made. And to Daren -- throw this episode behind you as another experience on the journey along life’s mysterious roads. Good luck in India!