Fort Lauderdale (Florida), July 4  :  Dr. Ernest Hilaire, the outspoken and often controversial chief executive officer of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), is leaving the job.

Hilaire is expected to leave the WICB to be St. Lucia's ambassador in London in September.

The new St.Lucia Labour Party (SLP) government, headed by Dr. Kenny Anthony, is believed to have decided to send him as the envoy, reports Caribbean Media Corporation(CMC).

Hilaire hasa lready informed the WICB that he does not want to renew his contract.

The WICB has since moved swiftly to initiate the recruitment process and has advertised to fill the position.

A prominent strategist and influential member of the SLP, Hilaire had taken leave from his WICB post to join the campaign trail in St. Lucia late last year before the Kenny Anthony administration was returned to office in November.

Hilaire and current WICB president Julian Hunte were also closely involved in St. Lucia elections in 2006, when Hunte was a losing candidate.

Hilaire, who holds a doctorate from the London School of Economics and degrees from the University of the West Indies (UWI) and Cambridge, took over as CEO of the WICB in September 2009 in place of Donald Peters.

His tenure has been regarded as turbulent in several quarters, involving public spats with former West Indies Players Association chief Dinanath Ramnarine and contentious handling of issues relating to senior players, most notably Chris Gayle.

Hilaire also served as chief executive of Cricket World Cup St Lucia Inc, when the Caribbean hosted the ICC showpiece five years ago.

© IANS