Mitchell
ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada CMC:
THE WEST Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) made progress in their tense contract dispute on Friday evening after a lengthy session with Grenada's Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell.
As chairman of the Cricket Sub-Committee of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dr. Mitchell mediated the latest meeting, which narrowed the gap between the two bodies.
Several top players, who had refused to accept invitations to the three-week pre-tour camp starting next week, have now agreed to participate and the WICB and WIPA also committed themselves to resolving the issue ahead of their tour of Australia at the end of the year.
"I feel heartened that after this long and difficult process, we have an understanding on the way forward," Dr. Mitchell said. "It appears now that the tour to Australia may not be jeopardised by the grievance," he added.
THE WAY FORWARD
The WICB had earlier dropped 16 players, including team captain Brian Lara, after they refused to sign a controversial contract that prevented them from promoting any company, which was a rival of Digicel, a telecommunications company, which had signed a US$20 million deal with the West Indies board.
The WICB said it would replace the 16 players it discarded, many of whom helped the West Indies win the Champions Trophy in England in September.
WIPA president Dinanath Ramnarine had advised all West Indies players not to sign any contract it has not fully negotiated, but at least nine players went ahead and signed, including experienced batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
Now the WICB and WIPA have agreed to submit briefs by next Friday for the development of terms of reference for the engagement of an independent adjudicator to render a decision on the interpretation of an old clause of a previous match-tour contract.
Both parties also resolved to make their best attempt to reach a negotiated settlement on the
controversial Clause 5 of the new match/tour contract by December 15.
The talks, that ended at approximately 7.00 p.m., started before midday on Friday with Mitchell first meeting separately with WICB officials and representatives of WIPA.
Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur, who had been scheduled to attend the meeting as a mediator, was not present and the Barbados Sports Minister Reginald Farley filled his role. CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General Dr Edward Greene also attended the meeting in a mediating role.
RESOLUTIONS
Mitchell said CARICOM would try to play a part in developing a closer relationship between the players and the board to create a better platform for the growth of regional cricket.
"That is a major deficiency and the prime ministerial sub-committee plans to meet very soon and will be involving all the parties to look at a fundamental process for the way forward for the development of West Indies cricket," Dr. Mitchell said.
