PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Striking West Indies players will begin to receive monies owed them shortly.
West Indies Cricket Board vice-president David Cameron said despite the ongoing impasse, the Board was moving to disburse payments for the tour of England and the recent India series. “At present the situation remains the same. We are not going to negotiate under duress and that is final,” said Cameron, who is also chairman of the WICB’s negotiating committee in the impasse.
“However, what we have done is to make arrangements to pay the players for their services.
“Presently the wages for the England tour and the India tour are being processed and we will get it to the players as soon as possible.”
He indicated, however, that the Board would not be paying salaries for the ICC World Twenty20 Championship which finished in June as the WICB was yet to receive their share of the purse. “When we get it, we will pay the players,” he assured.
West Indies’ first choice players have continued their industrial action which started just days ahead of the opening Test against Bangladesh in St Vincent last week.
Their action, over pay and contract issues, forced the West Indies selectors to hastily assemble an inexperienced 15-man squad for the match, handing debuts to seven players in the process.
Cameron, however, dismissed reports that players who were interested in playing for the West Indies had until Wednesday to declare their availability.
“I don’t know where that came from,” the Jamaican said.
“We are not aware of this but what I can say is that we have to submit a list of names for the selectors to choose a group of players to prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa in September.”
Selectors will meet next week to select a group of 30 players for the tournament, which will be trimmed down to 15 within three weeks.
