'WIPA produced unsigned, illegible forms'

- says WICB as pay dispute worsens
Stabroek News
March 28, 2003

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The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) yesterday accused the players' association of producing unsigned and illegible membership forms in a desperate attempt to prove it represented all the region's first class players.

Following a meeting in Barbados, the pay dispute took another turn for the worse with the WICB's insistence that WIPA prove its legitimacy before negotiations could proceed and WIPA being unable to do so.

When the unsigned, illegible forms were produced, acting WICB chief executive told WIPA president Dinanath Ramnarine, he would seek advice to verify whether unsigned membership forms were an indication of the intent of players to become members. At that point, the WIPA president "seemed unwilling to accept our position and declared 'The semifinals will not be played'," the board said.

Ramnarine, also suggested possible industrial action during the upcoming Cable & Wireless Test series against Australia.

Efforts by Caribbean Cricket.com yesterday even-ing to contact representatives of WIPA were unsuccessful.

There was no word on whether a follow-up meeting was scheduled and it appears certain the rift between the two parties have widened to the point of becoming contentious.

The board said the dispute remained "unresolved" and is standing firm on its stance that WIPA has always only represented international (Test and ODI) players but does not represent all the players participating in the regional tournament.

"The WICB will unreservedly recognise the WIPA as the bargaining unit for the first-class players once this requirement (of signed membership forms) is met," said Brathwaite, who led board's negotiation team.

Brathwaite said WIPA's representatives - Ramnarine, Roland Holder and Wavell Hinds - also produced signed letters from the Guyana and Jamaica teams indicating they were seeking the WIPA's guidance before signing the letters from their board agreeing to play in the semifinals and final of the Carib Beer 2003 Cricket Series, and wear the sponsors' branded gear.

However, he said the other semi-final teams from Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago appeared willing to play their semifinal of the Carib Beer 2003 Cricket Series in Bridgetown.

"The Barbadians gave an undertaking to Stephen Alleyne, President of the Barbados Cricket Association and a WICB director, during a meeting on Thursday. Prior to their arrival in Bridgetown, the Trinidad & Tobago players signed a form agreeing to play and wear the sponsors' branded kit," Brathwaite explained.

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