Empire say they were given ‘raw deal’ over final switch

Empire Club say they have gotten “a raw deal” from the National Sports Council (NSC) in relation to the switch in venue of the final of the Herman Griffith Memorial Primary Schools Cricket Competition from Bank Hall to Friendship.

President of Empire, Melvin “Ibo” Oxley, told Weekend Sport that dozens of club members were hurt and angry that for the first time ever the final of the competition will not be held at Bank Hall, the ground of the famous club that Griffith founded in 1914.

“This is the most hurtful thing that has happened to Empire in a long time. It is very sad. There are a lot of elders of the club that are more upset than me, but I’m also thinking that our father [Herman Griffith] is rolling in his grave right now. To believe that what he came out of that made him have the vision for building a club for us to call our own, is being treated like this,” he said.

“Empire has played a part in setting the standards where cricket is concerned now, especially for people of colour. Having fought those barriers, it seems like our history is getting sort of watered down and pushed into the back.

“So, we are telling the youth one thing, but then we are showing them something else. So now, not having the finals here, not having those children ask questions, not having them come and look at the board that has the history on it, see all the Test players, all the past presidents, all the past members of the club, is unfortunate,” said a dejected Oxley, a former top national football defender.

He said it was a slap in the face of the membership of Empire.

“It is sad that next week when the final is played, young cricketers will not get to see the picture of the founder and the trophy they’re playing for, brother Herman Griffith. A picture is more than a thousand memories,” he said.

“When you take up the hammer to run an organisation such as a Sports Council, you have to take all the historical aspects of everything. You just cannot go in a boardroom and sit down and make decisions without thinking of what the repercussions may be.”

The president said it has been a difficult time for the membership of Empire Club.

“This disturbs every spirit that has come through here. I have not had a decent sleep since the decision was announced to move the final from Empire to Friendship because every day I’m being asked a question.

“I went to watch football at Lumber Company the other night, but the focus was on this issue and what I was doing about this. Questions like have you reached out to this body? Have you talked to this body? I have exhausted everything. I don’t have no power.’’

NSC director Neil Murrell, in a letter forwarded to Oxley, said this year’s final will remain at the advertised location [Friendship], given the sponsor’s commitments and consideration, adding that the Council will “seek over the next year to facilitate the finals back to the Empire Club”.

 However, the letter added: “While this consideration will be actively deliberated, the NSC, as the umbrella body for the competition, will have the final approval in future years, taking into consideration all the factors involved.”

Empire officials have said they were not even informed by the NSC of the venue switch.

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