Mitchell
GRENADIAN PRIME Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell, who is also chairman of the Caricom sub-committee on cricket, has lashed out at the regional cricket body in a release to the media yesterday afternoon, saying he is "... appalled by the level of insensitivity being displayed by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) in making decisions affecting the regional team."
According to the release, "Dr. Mitchell says he is, however, not surprised by the latest move by the board to yet again pick an alternate team.
It added: "Dr. Mitchell says the board continues to be offered solutions but seems intent on taking West Indies cricket down a destructive path."
While he was not taking sides on the issues, he feels that the hard line being pursued by the WICB will eventually destroy the game and believes that he had offered the WICB and West Indies Players' Association
a solution which would
have protected the board's financial position and kept the players happy.
GREATER PROBLEMS
However, he says the whole process was derailed and today they are facing greater problems.
The prime minister has expressed concern about the people of the region. He
says he is receiving strong messages from persons across the region that the passion which they felt for the game is quickly fading because
of the perennial state of controversy the game seems to be wrapped up in.
"If the people of the region cannot go to a game or listen to a match and see our best talent on display they will turn away," explained Dr. Mitchell.
He has urged his colleague prime ministers to take note of the situation because the people of every Caribbean nation are being affected.
According to him, "This game is too important to our people for it to remain in this terrible state, because cricket is the one factor which binds the West Indian people together."
