ICC and FICA to mediate in West Indies dispute
The ICC and FICA will be participating in efforts aimed at ending the stand-off between the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players' Association
ESPNcricinfo staff
09-Jun-2012
Dave Richardson will be the ICC's representative in the negotiations • AFP
The ICC and FICA (Federation of International Cricketers' Associations) will be participating in efforts aimed at ending the stand-off - largely over the issue of contracts and the running of West Indies Cricket - between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA). Meetings have been scheduled between June 10 to 13 in Barbados, wherein the ICC and FICA will mediate in the negotiations between the two disputing parties.
"The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) wish to advise all stakeholders of West Indies cricket that they will be meeting to discuss the terms and conditions, which could result in a mutually agreeable, revised Collective Bargaining Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding between the parties," a joint statement said.
The ICC will be represented by its general manager of Cricket Dave Richardson and acting head of Legal Ian Higgins. Tim May, the FICA chief executive, will represent his organisation. "The joint mediation team has established guidelines for the process, one of which is strict confidentiality, and both the WICB and WIPA have agreed to adhere to those guidelines," the statement said.
It is understood that Dinanath Ramnarine, the former WIPA president and chief executive, who resigned from his post in late March this year, is likely to be present at the meetings. WICB sources fear Ramnarine could prove to be a stumbling block, as he has been against a new CBA/MoU and happy to stick with the existing. It is in this area the pair of Richardson and May, acting as facilitators, could play an important role in paving a new path that could be beneficial for both the WICB and the WIPA.
The impasse reached its height in 2009, when several senior members of the West Indies team boycotted the home series against Bangladesh. West Indies were forced to field a makeshift side that lost both the Test and ODI series, and was then retained for the Champions Trophy that year.