HONORARY secretary of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) Fritz Harris says new West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) President Whycliffe ‘Dave’ Cameron should expeditiously target key areas of his campaign manifesto.

In the election run-in, Cameron, then WICB vice-president, made recommendations for a sustained growth in regional cricket, which included the creation of greater access to revenue streams, facilitating the improved development of talent, as well as the restoration of Caribbean pride.

The JCA secretary, while expressing delight at 42-year-old Cameron’s 7-5 defeat of outgoing head honcho Dr Julian Hunte during yesterday’s WICB annual general meeting and elections, urged his compatriot to “hold closely to the expressions in his manifesto”.

“Anytime there is an election and you end on the victorious side you always get a sense of achievement. In this particular case, the JCA is particularly happy, because from the start we took a position of supporting a candidate that was never the favourite for the position.

“Having said that, our charge for the new president is to hold closely to the expressions in his manifesto and to deliver on all of those commitments,” Harris said in a telephone interview with the Jamaica Observer from Barbados.

Many believed Hunte,72, would have outlasted his former deputy in this race, but there are some who thought a change was needed at the top.

Hunte, who has served three terms, was president during a period of strained relations between the regional body and the JCA.

In addition, Cameron and some of his backers were not impressed by Hunte’s dramatic decision in trying to extend his reign as president for a further two years after previous reports suggested he planned to step down.

Harris said the JCA sided with Cameron because he is seen as “more suited” for the president job.

“He (Cameron) was one we believed, after accessing the two candidates, who was more suited to deliver what was required for the betterment of West indies at this time. As it panned out, he has won. We are delighted… that enough members who form the West Indies cricket shareholder group recognised and based on that, threw their support behind him,” he said.

Harris added: “Not that we are saying the former president wasn’t doing his job. We are not saying that at all, but if you look at what both gentlemen were proposing to do for West Indies cricket, in our minds the Cameron proposals would have taken the cricket further and faster than what the other gentleman proposed,” he said

Emmanuel Nanthan, who ran on Cameron’s ticket for the vice-president spot, also found favourable response from the WICB shareholders, in an 8-4 win over West Indies fast bowling legend Joel Garner.