(Trinidad Express) West Indies Cricket Board president Dave Cameron said the regional body will be enlisting the support of Caricom (Caribbean Community) to meet the million-dollar demand for compensation by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after the aborted tour of India last month.
The West Indies players, led by one-day captain Dwayne Bravo, withdrew their services after the fourth match of the one-day series on October 17 because of a pay dispute with the WICB and the players union, the West Indies Players Association (WIPA).
The pullout angered the BCCI which has formally given notice of its intention to, “seek compensation from the WICB to the fullest extent permissible in law,” since it holds the regional body liable for losses incurred because of the cancellation of three Test matches and a solitary Twenty20 International.
In its letter to the WICB on Friday, the BCCI claimed losses totaling US$41.97 million and it also called on the WICB to formally inform it, in writing, of the steps it intends to take to compensate the BCCI for those losses. The Indian board gave a 15-day time frame for the money to be paid, failing which, it said it would file legal proceedings against the WICB.
On Friday prime ministers of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves and Grenada, Dr Keith Mitchell met with Cameron, WICB vice-president Emmanuel Nanthan, WICB director Baldath Mahabir, Bravo, West Indies Test captain Denesh Ramdin and WIPA president Wavell Hinds (via teleconference) at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain in a five-hour session to try and resolve the impasse between the players and the Board.
Asked how the WICB was planning to handle the BCCI demand, Cameron said: “That is a matter that we will enlist the support of Caricom going forward.”
Concerning the impasse itself, “I think what we have done, we have a modality for the way forward, so that to us is very important.”
Prime Minister Mitchell, who left midway through the meeting said: “There is a considerable attempt to find a resolution. The two prime ministers spoke passionately about the need for a resolution in the interest of the entire West Indies community.”
Asked if Caricom would try to assist the WICB in handling the BCCI claim for damages, Mitchell said: “If there is not a resolution (of the impasse) then we can’t go there, so a resolution to the current impasse is crucial.
“There is tremendous investment in sporting facilities and in the development of the game of cricket and I think the players, the Board and the union must understand that, and we made it very clear how we see this.
“I made it very clear that we will all be losers in this if there is not a resolution quickly. Whoever has to give up what, it must be done in the interest of cricket and in the interest of our economies and the future of the players of the region,” he added.
At the conclusion of the meeting, although Gonsalves did not reveal what compromises were made, he said all parties “arrived at several conclusions and understandings to move the process forward.”
Gonsalves seemed confident that they had reached an agreement but insisted that all parties will have to now discuss the proposals with their colleagues before making anything official.
“We are in a far better position at ten o’clock tonight than we were at five. I think that on the basis of the discussions, we have the framework and the modalities for the resolution of the issues and for cricket lovers. I fully expect that the best team will be in South Africa representing us,” said Gonsalves.
“Everybody is going back to their various entities. The 14 players who were in India, they have to talk to their WIPA leadership and their colleagues and Dave has to speak to his colleagues on the Board, but believe us, we made very good progress,” he concluded.
Also present at Friday’s meeting were Luke Hamel-Smith of the M Hamel-Smith and Company law firm which represented the WICB and Queen’s Counsel Ralph Thorne who represented the players.
