ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Julian Hunte has described the current dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players’ Association as “a mere smokescreen” for deeper issues between the two sides.
The WICB president has identified a newer, much tougher Memorandum of Understanding which the regional governing body is trying to implement to moderate relations between the two sides as the root of the problem. “In concluding the report to the annual general meeting last year, I noted that the year 2008-2009 would be the most important in the history of this [WICB],” said Hunte in the president’s address to the annual general meeting on Monday.
“I explained that while we had made progress in our relationship with the players and that the industrial relations environment was more stable, we were still to negotiate a new MOU with WIPA, and that we would be putting forward a proposal for a wider distribution of resources.
He added: “I always felt that the differences with WIPA would explode before us once the WICB became firm and resolute that this was the way forward. “All other issues – injury payments, late tour contracts, retainer contracts, intellectual property rights, etc – have been and would continue to be a mere smokescreen for the fundamental issue of whether WICB would be strong enough to have WIPA to accept the proposals for a new MOU.”
Hunte admitted that the relationship between the two bodies had “worsened and reached an all-time low”.
He also felt that the decision by WIPA Executive President Dinanath Ramanrine to turn his back on a seat at the directors’ table of the WICB did not help the situation.
“The President of WIPA who sat as a director of the WICB resigned, and in the process, lost the opportunity which existed for the directors to be addressed directly by WIPA and avoid the situation where differences became a public matter,” said Hunte.
“The situation in relation to WIPA and the players is very clear. We have reached a stage where the [WICB] has had to act decisively and definitely to establish a transparent and accountable framework for dealing with the players.”
Hunte knocked the recent action by WIPA and the players to boycott the 2010 Twenty20 World Cup ticket launch and to proceed on strike action three days before a Test.
“[This] represented the highest form of disregard and disdain for West Indies cricket,” he said.
“It was not about action against the WICB, it was a statement on the attitude of the players towards West Indies cricket. It meant that cricket and its regional and international importance do not matter.”
He continued: “It was simply a case of players feeling so invincible, drunken by the numerous occasions on which they had gotten away with whatever behaviour they chose, that they can act with wanton disrespect for the game of cricket.
“Their action challenged the foundation of the institution of cricket in the region and internationally. It is not the WICB that is embarrassed or undermined; it is the game of cricket.”
Hunte was willing to accept that the players had grievances and were dissatisfied that a number of other issues remained unresolved.
“I will not pretend that WICB does not have numerous flaws and deficiencies,” he said. “We must pay regard to the fact that there are genuine issues and concerns to be addressed.
“We stated our commitment to work with WIPA at all levels – administrative, mediation and even arbitration – and fully expected that the provisions of our MOU and Collective Bargaining Agreement would have served as a guide through whatever difficult times and differences that existed.”
But Hunte was clear that the two sides had to adopt a more respectful approach for each other if there is to be success. “We are clear that we cannot proceed along the old beaten path of financial demands that borders on unsustainability, on threats that place every tour in uncertainty, on disrespect for sponsors and sponsors obligations that endangers our financial viability, and on strike action that embarrasses the game of cricket,” he said.
“Our road map is clear. We must agree on a long-term arrangement that commits a percentage of our resources to the players with the rest allocated to cricket development, institutional capacity, tournaments and tours.
“In addition, we need to establish the framework for managing the relationship with WIPA and the players to ensure that we live up to our obligations and be able to manage the performance of players.”
Hunte concluded that it has been “an extraordinarily difficult year for the [WICB] which at times undermined our faith to the point of despair, but I am proud to say that to the end of the year, our resolve has been strengthened and our commitment reaffirmed”.