KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – General Secretary of the Jamaica Cricket Association Fritz Harris said a mediator should be brought in to adjudicate the ongoing dispute between Chris Gayle and the West Indies Cricket Board.
Harris said the JCA has been playing a quiet role in the dispute following inflammatory remarks from the current Jamaica captain about the regional governing body during an interview on a national radio station in May. “The JCA stands ready to assist and we have done a lot of work behind the scenes,” Harris said in the Jamaica Observer newspaper on Wednesday. “We have made suggestions to the WICB and offered to help and they have recognised our offer. We made a request to have a facilitator to assist the process and I have to stress that the external party is needed to assist from both sides.”
He added: “Since both parties are in a deadlock, it’s my opinion that a third party be brought in to mediate. We could look to the universities or someone from the legal fraternity for help.
“We all agree that this is going on for far too long. We have to wait and see how [the WICB] responds to what Chris has asked.”
Harris said he agreed with Gayle’s request for the WICB to indicate what statements that were made during the interview that should retracted. The WICB has indicated from the start that Gayle must retract certain statements he made during the interview before he is considered for selection again to the West Indies team.
The board of directors reiterated their position following a meeting last month in Antigua, where the matter was discussed.
“It’s a fair request from Chris because if you are going to retract you at least need to know what it is that is of concern to the other party,” said Harris.
“There is nowhere that it can be found where the WICB has stated to what they have taken umbrage.”
Gayle has not played for West Indies since he returned from the World Cup last April in the sub-continent. He played in last month’s Regional Super50 tournament, leading the Jamaicans to the title for the first time in four years.
Gayle has remained popular with fans, receiving vocal support from spectators wherever he played in Guyana.
He said he still wants to play for West Indies and is available for selection.
“The Super50 tournament is finished and I’m expecting some release to be sent out for clarification on what’s happening,” he said. “We have to just wait and see what will happen.”
Gayle was not named in the West Indies’ 15-member squad for the tour of India, starting later this week.
