By Marlon Munroe
As the accusations fly back and forth between the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA), GCB President Chetram Singh closed the chapter yesterday by stating that it takes two to argue.
Singh in an invited comment yesterday said that the board will not be replying to any statements made in the press by WIPA and its President Dinanauth Ramnarine.
“As far as we (GCB) are concerned everything is already signed and delivered (to the organisers of the Airtel Champions League) and you can ask the players whether they were forced,” Singh declared.
The long-standing president said that that the board’s only concern at this time is to have a smooth build-up to the tournament for the players and the country. He reported that the players are trying to ensure that they are “mentally and physically prepared for the tournament,” which begins on September 10 in South Africa.
Moreover, Singh believes that the matter became a non-issue between the two bodies when the GCB moved to the High Court in Guyana to secure an interim injunction. Another source in the GCB also emphasised that since the matter is engaging the court he will not be commenting further on the issue.
The GCB secured an interim injunction against the WIPA, its executive president Dinanauth Ramnarine and the West Indies Player Management Company Limited (WIPMACOL) which restrains the parties named from interfering in a contract which exists between the local body and the Board of Cricket Control in India.
Stabroek Sport had reported earlier that the GCB had approached Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang last Thursday to protect the agreement it had signed for the Guyanese cricketers to appear in the Champion’s League Twenty20 in South Africa next month, and the order was made.
The injunction bars the parties named in the action from doing any act which has the tendency of causing or inducing the GCB to dishonour or act in breach of the agreement for Guyana to participate in the upcoming tournament.
Yesterday Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the GCB Terry Holder expressed his disgust at what he said was WIPA’s incessant witch hunting. Holder believes that any person or organisation that is attempting to disrupt and throw the cricketers off their plan for a major tournament that is shortly ahead does not have the interest of cricket at heart, certainly not Guyana’s cricket.
“For anyone to instigate these things at this time does not have the interest of cricket in Guyana at heart. The people of this nation are rallying behind these cricketers and in all fairness they deserve to be there,” Holder stated.
Holder said he was also in awe when he saw the article captioned “WIPA says
GCB pressured players” in yesterday’s edition of the Stabroek News stating that he “thought the matter was a closed one.” He pointed out that the players have signed their contracts and their aim at this time is to move on to the tournament.
He said that the GCB and the players have brokered an agreement with the intervention of acting Sport Minister Irfaan Ali. “The minister intervened (between the board and players), we settled the issues and shook hands,” Holder said.
Further, Holder acknowledged that he understood the reason for the players “demands”, since in many cases the players’ careers are shorter than workers in an office and therefore it was the board’s decision to give in to their demands.
Holder also noted that it was important for the GCB to accommodate the players in the best conditions so that they can go to South Africa on a clean slate.
On the other hand, Holder stated that the players were made to understand that the GCB also has an obligation to future generations and therefore proper provisions have to be made for them.
It was reported earlier that “the Guyana Cricket Board had some issues with the monetary allocation and this is what delayed the signing of the participation contracts.” Of the US$500,000 Participation Fee that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will be receiving from the Airtel CLT20, the regional body wants 33 percent (US$165,000) with the GCB getting 17 per cent (US)$85,000 and the players getting 50 per cent (US$250,000).
