Questions are being raised regarding the status of Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Dr Kishore Shallow following the general election in St.Vincent and the Grenadines, where he was successful at the polls and earned a parliamentary seat as a member of the National Democratic Party.

Former Jamaica Cricket Association President and past CWI director Wilford “Billy” Heaven has publicly weighed in, urging clarity on whether it is appropriate for Dr Shallow to simultaneously occupy both positions.

In a statement, Heaven said he believes the matter must be addressed in a transparent, responsible, and principled manner, stressing that the issue is not about Dr Shallow’s personal integrity, but about best practices in governance.

“The issue at hand is not a matter of personal integrity, but of good governance, public trust, and the avoidance of conflicts of interest,” Heaven stated.

Heaven noted that as President of CWI, Dr Shallow oversees decisions involving public funding, infrastructure development, youth programmes, and management of a regional sporting institution that engages directly with Caribbean governments. At the same time, an elected Member of Parliament participates in shaping national policy, voting on budgets, and scrutinizing the use of state resources.

“When these roles overlap, it becomes difficult to assure the public that decisions affecting cricket or government are entirely free from undue influence – real or perceived,” he said.

Heaven further emphasized that both roles demand full-time attention and independent judgment, each requiring undivided loyalty to their respective mandates.

“Holding them simultaneously risks blurring the lines between political authority and sporting governance, potentially undermining the credibility of both institutions,” he said and called for “Careful reflection on the implications of this dual role and urge consideration of steps that uphold the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and integrity.”

Dr Shallow has not yet issued a formal statement addressing the concerns, and CWI has also remained silent on whether any governance review or policy guidance will follow.

There have been previous possible conflicts of interest regarding political figures. In the case of Saint Lucia’s Julian Hunte, after returning from his United Nations post, he was not involved in elective politics when he became board president, while Trinidadian Ken Gordon was made a senator but not while he was president.