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A West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) director, speaking on the condition of anonymity, has questioned CARICOM’s ability to solve the present impasse between the regional cricket body and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and suggested that only the International Cricket Council (ICC) can save West Indies cricket now.
St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and Grenada Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell met WICB directors and their attorneys over the weekend about the impending BCCI lawsuit and the players’ dissatisfaction with the new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)/Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
(Courtesy WIPA)
Already, there have been suggestions that the MOU will go to arbitration while the WICB supposedly promised not to victimise players.
Nine of 17 WICB directors contacted by Wired868—Azim Bassarath, Baldath Mahabir (Trinidad & Tobago), Billy Heaven, Don Wehby (Jamaica), Anand Sanasie, Anand Kalladeen (Guyana), Joel Garner (Barbados), Enoch Lewis (Leeward Islands) and Julian Charles (Windward Island)—all refused to comment on the matter.
However, one prominent director, who spoke anonymously, did not hide his scepticism about what the CARICOM leadership brings to the table.
“CARICOM speaks a lot (but) in the past never did much,” said the director, “only when WICB is in a crisis you suddenly see them appearing as mediators. Gonsalves from past evidence is just a big talker.
“Prime example was two years ago when you had the Chris Gayle situation when President Julian Hunte and CEO Ernest Hilaire were at the helm and these same two Prime Ministers were involved. If they (Caricom) had been working more closely with WICB in the last decade maybe all these governance structure and depth issues would not still be around today.
“CARICOM will only dictate to WICB if this crisis is solved under their guidance, it’s not a proper working relationship.”
The director further admitted that the WICB cannot meet the BCCI’s financial demand. However, he expects the International Cricket Council (ICC) to intervene in the matter since the WICB is not financially capable of meeting BCCI’s demand for US$42 million compensation.
(Courtesy AP)
The WICB suggested that West Indies cricket was too valuable to the sport for it to be allowed to fall into an abyss.
“Some ICC intervention will be needed to help solve the matter because no cricket nation really wants to see Windies collapse as an institution and team,” he said. “The WICB is US$6 million in the red, so good sense will have to prevail in the global cricket community over this issue.”
The anonymous director said all three parties—the WICB, WIPA and the players—made a huge faux pas during the events that led to the aborted series in India.
However, he confirmed his support for WICB president Dave Cameron as the Board’s “front man” and called on fellow directors to rally behind the Jamaican administrator who is “under tremendous pressure.”
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The players are the most blameworthy in this unnecessary fiasco. There are certain boundaries you don’t cross in the various fields of endeavor abandoning an official tour in cricket is one such boundary. Bravo and cohorts should’ve gone on go slow, break down injured but not abandonment. That should net even be an option. And still they haven’t got what the prematurely returned home for overturned. This shocker embarrassed the entire Caribbean, subjected the WICB to an unpayable law suit and brought the great game into disrepute previously unseen. The leaders of this rebellion without a cause should be punished severely then sued by WIBC for breach of contract and to help pay BCCI $42 million. Bravo, Sammy, Pollard three cricketers of no special merit should be dropped immediately and banned for life. They should not be given clearance to play in IPL and the T20 Leagues either. Their actions have left the great game built on the on the backs of so many outstanding players who have gone before in chaos and peril.
Hahaha
These two governments could barely issue their own domestic VAT refunds… far less bail out WICB
….moving right along folks, nothing to see here
Ok
I believe board and players should be fired and let’s start fresh. I wouldn’t give no player a dime until they perform. Let them play IPL.
All, please keep your eyes on the ‘ball’. The ball being the settlement of the self inflicted debt. Taking player/ board sides here is premature and distracting as the ship is truly sinking while everyone stands on deck bickering. I uneasily foresee board counter suits and suits directed at the protesting players (and counter suits there as well) before the dust settles on our still bankrupt circumstance.
The WICB is not answerable to anyone, that can always be their fall back position
Ye Mark Pouchet ha I’m worryingly thinking that last 48 hrs smh
Colin Benjamin, don’t be surprised if the Andrew Mason leak about the sacking of 3 captains has been delayed
This is no surprise what Thorne is saying
Peter Miller is joined by former West Indies and Trinidad & Tobago captain Daren Ganga to discuss the mess that the West Indies find themselves in following the abandonment of their tour of India.
https://soundcloud.com/geek-wilde/geek-wilde-68-daren-ganga
http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/thorne-upset/
No comment!!!!!!
Thank you for your kind sentiments Colin Benjamin.
Well all I could say is do a gud job on behalf of west indies fans Gerard Emile Zatopek Pinard
Mr. Dave Cameron should definitely be under “under tremendous pressure. From Day 1 of this impasse I was absolute;y amazed by his (and executive comm, if there was one) insanely misguided stance in deciding not to put the MOU in abeyance until the tour was finished.
It was incredibly bad form for Cameron to entertain ending the tour in order to show that the board was more powerful that the players.
This board must resign. It is beyond reasonable that Cameron and his committee did NOT foresee these possible results and step back from the precipice. So they either saw it and plunged ahead or did not see and were stupid.
In either case they have failed and must go.
How do intelligent people with proven business acumen finely honed as they rise the ladder to top corporate positions then seemingly lose all abilities and in one fell swoop bankrupt the business through clear inept management then have the audacity to look at us with a pained expressions seeking solace.
The players were absolutely wrong but the WICB were the ones who needed to act as the grown-ups. They didn’t.
Well we know the position from the many convos here, so there you go
Oh oh
Haven’t seen the comments, Colin Benjamin, but would not be too surprised.
Gerard Emile Zatopek Pinard Mr Pinard this is what D Ramnarine is saying on the twitter currently, in case you haven’t already seen or heard it yourself:
“I strongly object to Mr. Gerard Pinard giving any advice on IR on this task force. It is clear that the WICB wants this to be a task farce.
Mr. Pinard has worked for the WICB and has taken very strong anti player positions and therefore to sit in a process that is suppose to be fair, transparent and more importantly appear independent he shud withdraw immediately Anything less would confirm that this is a task FARCE”
@Roger, move on to where? Are you aware that the WICB is effectively bankrupt. But for the BCCI lawsuit disappearing, this is the end of the road. This is not a joke.
these people really serious ,the icc don’t owe them nothing ,why don’t they resign and let west indies cricket move on
I’m curious as to how the board is selected since they officially represent the region
Selected from the 6 territorial boards (2 each) and then 3 independent directors, as I recall.
The President is elected separately.
Let me correct myself.
Directors- the Pres, VP , 6 X 2, the 3 independents and 1 nominee from Caricom.
Yeah!! respect is always due to Massa; he alone iz we savior!!
Tell us where that director is from please.
“The WICB suggested that West Indies cricket was too valuable to the sport for it to be allowed to fall into an abyss.”
Does he think this a case of too big to fail? India will end up owning WI Cricket and not a damn thing they cold do about it, so Cameron will have a new master too
Excellent point Shari.
Well…not all talk. There have been some pretty effective inter-island trading relationships developed over the years. Ineffective, well yeah.
why that director eh hush he ass lol……..ent WICB is a law on to there own….even when the Government appointed commision to reform WICB .. an they refused an ignored. but now the rass in pressure .. they dissing caricom lol.. lawd Wicb is like ah rell horner woman boi..lol
As if the wicb will allow CARICOM to intervene unless there is a crisis
Lol
What I want to know is this; is CARICOM prepared, as a body, to bail out the WICB to the tune of US $42 million? And if they are, what reforms will need to happen as a result? Personally, I feel that whatever happens, the WICB IS going to have to be overhauled to make the future a better prospect. And CARICOM’s coffers aren’t that deep.