CARICOM Chairman blames WICB

CARICOM Chairman Bharrat Jagdeo has delivered a stinging attack on the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) placing heavy blame on cricket’s regional governing body for the failed mediation talks over the contracts row with the players.



Mediation talks broke down and Jagdeo, who had brokered an agreement six weeks ago for the feuding parties to enter a mediation process, believes the WICB prejudiced the effort from the start by not disclosing they had already selected a Champions Trophy squad without the top flight players.



The Guyana President says it was his understanding that when the West Players Association agreed during their July 21 meeting to make all their players available for selection, the move would allow “normalcy” to return to team selection.



Jagdeo says the WICB knew otherwise but did not declare their position.



The CARICOM Chairman says WICB President Julian Hunte acknowledged the board’s selection position some time after when the process was too far gone.



Expressing regret over the failure of the WICB and WIPA to reach agreement in their dispute, Jagdeo says he was not totally surprised.



He criticised the WICB’s role in the process and slammed the administrators for high-handed behaviour in the matter.



He says CARICOM Governments will have to consider what next to do to save West Indies cricket, and West Indians, everywhere, from still further humiliation.