Office of the President

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT BHARRAT JAGDEO

I am disappointed to learn of the failure of the Board and WIPA to reach agreement in the cricket Mediation; but I am not wholly surprised. When the Mediation under Sir Shridath Ramphal was agreed upon with me on 21 July 2009, it was in context in which WIPA made all their Players available and I understand this is to be basis of a return to normalcy in Team selection.

The members of the Board did not disclose to me or to WIPA that the Board had already selected a ‘B” team for the Champions Trophy in South Africa. The President later apologised for the omission; but the damage had been done; the Mediation was weakened from the start. Now, it seems that the Mediation has been the victim of the same spirit of Board insistence on getting its own way whatever the consequences for our cricket. CARICOM Governments will have to consider what next to do to save West Indies cricket, and West Indians, everywhere, from still further humiliation.
I thank Sir, Shridath for his effort, and await his further Report.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009