Perhaps it’s still too soon to mention, but in light of all that has happened, I still find myself, in the lull of the summer months, yearning for one more Stanford 20/20 event in Antigua. I’m sure by now everyone has seen the pictures of Antigua’s largest private investor (now ex-largest), Sir R. Allen Stanford in handcuffs, wearing an unflattering orange onesie. I’m also sure all the controversy surrounding the now defunct businessman and his so-called henchmen caused people to make great attempts to put all things associated with him in the “shameful memories” portion of their brain.Despite everything that has transpired over the past few months, I must admit I am more than saddened to see the departure of what was turning into a real name maker for my beloved country. Now that I have dangled my opinion out there in cyberspace, waiting for the predators to take the bait, allow me to explain my reasoning.

On a personal level, my rationale may not be all that intriguing or surprising. The Stanford 20/20 games were always fun, full of people, well-organised and quite controversially, took far less time than traditional test cricket. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that 20/20 was far easier for me to grasp than the traditional version of the game, a fact which may disappoint my dear old dad, who tried for so many years to explain the sport to me at countless ARG (Antigua Recreation Grounds) matches. Perhaps the concise version of the game was easier to understand because of the changes, or perhaps it was those colourful brochures handed out prior to the matches, which endeavoured to explain every detail of the game to the audience.

On a broader scale, 20/20 revealed a lot about this beloved country and its inhabitants. When the first 20/20 regional matches were held in 2006, initially people did not swarm the grounds, though the preliminary games were free.

As with any small community, however, word-of-mouth spread the news about the atmosphere and all of a sudden, people became willing to take the drive to the airport to witness the event. Once inside the grounds, one could not ignore the excitement that crackled in the air, especially as the games progressed and teams came closer to the glory of winning and yes, the prize money.

It was the quintessential Caribbean cricket ambience; laid-back, fun and full of families and friends with their blankets and coolers sprawled out on the lawns, which sadly are disappearing from newer, more modern cricket stadiums. The games also worked unexpected wonders for the economy. Street vendors that were normally left struggling to sell their patriotic knick-knacks were being met with hordes of anxious and slightly fanatic customers desperate to get a flag, wristband, T-shirt or some other such token of their patriotic affection. Non-nationals also came out in full force to support their countries of birth, however, when time came for Antigua to shine, they quite dutifully switched to the colours of their host country. Anyone attending the games had to notice the countless variety of flags being waved, some of which took longer to recognise than others. The Stanford 20/20 had, quite remarkably, transformed a small space in Antigua into a microcosm of the Caribbean.

Do not let me influence you with just my experience, as the numbers from the Ministry of Tourism indicate quite clearly the effect of Stanford 20/20 on the country’s wallet. In July 2008, the ministry came out with its quarterly report, compiled by its Research and Statistics Department. The report noted that the 2007 Stanford 20/20 tournament directly contributed to a 60% increase in tourist arrivals from those visitors coming from within the region to Antigua and Barbuda. In fact, for the month of February 2007, there was a total relative increase of 17.3% from the previous year. The very last 20/20 spectacle, which took place in November 2008, amidst an erupting global financial crisis, also did some good for Antigua and Barbuda, as it gave us media coverage the likes of which had never seen before. But then again, so did the fall of Sir Allen.

They say all good things must come to an end and it seems as though the Stanford 20/20 games in Antigua have indeed crashed into a brick wall, sending shrapnel into the already scarred reputation of the country. When we look back, I wonder, can we observe our experience objectively? Can we separate the games from the man? It is natural for all of us to regret decisions that allowed Sir Allen to create these events in his name, in our land. Sometimes I wish we could sacrifice the good times of the past if it meant we could get the spotlight out of our faces. Knowing then what we know now, would we have allowed him to fund this huge undertaking? Rather than kick ourselves, I suppose it’s better to just look forward and move on. Let the pundits stake their claim in the past, with their pretentious “I told you so’s” and “we should have’s” or “should have not’s”. In the end, we all have to accept that hindsight is always 20/20.

The opinions expressed in the above op-ed are of the writer and not necessarily the opinions of 365antigua.com or its staff and affiliates.