WIPA hits back at WICB

Regional players union, West Indies Players' Association (WIPA), says there was no need for it to accept an offer by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to solve the impasse with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), when there was already an agreement in place.



WIPA, which is headed by president and chief executive Dinanath Ramnarine, was responding to charges by the WICB at the weekend that it had rejected an offer from the cricket’s world governing body, International Cricket Council, to help solve the long-running dispute.



The players’ body says that under the New York Agreement struck last October, both parties had already settled on Special Binding Arbitrations for solving the contentious issues which have rocked the Caribbean’s premier sport in recent years.



A release from WIPA says mindful of the acceptance of the recommendations of the CARICOM Prime-Ministerial Sub-Committee on cricket of September 11, 2009 by both WIPA and the WICB, which was brokered by CARICOM and the New York Agreement, the WICB and WIPA agreed to two Special Binding Arbitrations which are due to be heard shortly before a panel of distinguished Caribbean jurists.



The release further says WIPA fully respects and is willing to submit to the decision of the Arbitration Panel appointed by CARICOM, win or lose.



The release also says WIPA does not intend to breach the agreements to go to non-binding negotiations/mediation with the International Cricket Council and Federation of International Cricketers' Association.



In a statement on Saturday, the WICB accused WIPA of favouring arbitration and urged them to reconsider the International Cricket Council and Federation of International Cricketers' Association offer.