– No response from GCB to WIPA’s proposal
THE West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) has cleared the air on their involvement with the Guyana team that is at present preparing for the Airtel Champions League in South Africa next month, and their contractual dispute with the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB). Below is a statement from president of the WIPA Dinanath Ramnarine:
“WIPA shares the Guyanese players concern about being kept in the dark about the arrangements for their participation in the forthcoming Airtel CLT20 scheduled for September 2010 in South Africa.
The WICB has announced that it intends to retain one third of the participation fee of $500 000.
WIPA is unaware of any other Board retaining any part of the Participation Fee. WIPA is of the view that retaining such a large sum could have a direct negative impact on Guyanese cricket and its players.
In fact, WIPA understands that no monies were deducted from the TTCB for last year’s participation.
The claimed justification by the WICB is that it incurred significant costs in hosting the recently concluded tournament. What the WICB has not revealed is the income it generated by the tournament from in particular ESPN, but also others.
If the WICB has made a loss for organising the recent tournament they should place all the financial information into the public domain to confirm their commitment to transparency and good governance.
The WICB has confirmed that it is for the GCB and the players or their representatives (WIPA) to agree how the two thirds of the Participation Fee is to be shared.
The GCB has failed to respond to WIPA’s proposals made 10 days ago as to how the monies should be shared and this gives cause for concern bearing in mind the deadlines required of it to ensure the teams participation in the Airtel CLT20.
The Team Participation Agreement identifies the prize money allocated for the event. Whilst the WICB has confirmed that these monies will be paid to the GCB and the WICB will make no claim on these monies, it is a matter of further concern that the GCB has failed to respond to WIPA’s proposals as to how these monies should be shared between the GCB and the players.
The prize monies payable for Trinidad and Tobago’s participation in last year’s event were shared pursuant to an agreement between the TTCB and WIPA as confirmed by Vice President TTCB, Mr Dudnath Ramkessoon in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle and then subsequently by the President of the TTCB Mr Azim Bassarath in a Trinidad Guardian newspaper report.
The WICB has further stated that neither it nor the GCB can negotiate the use of the players’ image rights and that negotiations should take place directly with the CLT20.
WIPA doubts that this can be correct because the WICB is obligated under the Team Participation Agreement to procure use of the Players Attributes to ensure the full and successful exploitation of the commercial rights.
Further, no other team negotiates with CLT20 for consideration of the obligations and restrictions of players – that is a matter (and quite rightly so) between the Board that is obligated to procure these rights, obligations and restrictions and the players and their player representatives through negotiations.
If we are to extend the thinking of the WICB, then does it expect the players/ WIPA to negotiate directly with the ICC for the players’ involvement in any ICC event?
This would be surprising as the Team Participation Agreement is based upon the Members Participation Agreement for ICC Events.
The reason that the documents are drawn up as they are is that the Boards need to procure the rights from the players and then in turn the Boards pay consideration to the players for use of those rights from the monies they receive for the team’s participation.
Finally, WIPA’s primary concern is to conclude the players’ arrangements at the earliest time so that full focus can be given to the team’s preparation for what will be a challenging event. With this in mind, WIPA is proposing a series of games against the Trinidad and Tobago cricket team. 
The proposal has been favourably received by GCB president Mr Chetram Singh, as well as the Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago Players.