Arthur: SA Test or else

No South Africa Test in Barbados, no more support.

That's the stern message which Prime Minister Owen Arthur has sent to the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

Speaking on CBC Channel 8 from China last night, he said he was disturbed by a report that South Africa's tour to the West Indies next year did not include a Test in Barbados.

'I trust that this report is not true,' he said. 'Were it to be true it would be a very intemperate decision that would have very serious and far-reaching implications.'

Arthur, who is also Minister of Finance, said the Government of Barbados was persuaded to support the redevelopment of Kensington Oval at an expense to the taxpayer and by way of Government guarantee.

He said the new facilities at Kensington Oval were made possible by the Government giving a soft loan to the Barbados Cricket Association and guaranteeing a loan raised within the local banking system.

'We did that on the basis of a presentation to us of business plans indicating that there was going to be more cricket rather than less cricket at Kensington Oval,' he added.

'Were there now to be less cricket at Kensington, that would be a drastic departure from the foundations upon which we made a decision.

'It would put the Government in a position where the game would have been so altered that I can say categorically now that we would not be in a position to provide any further guarantees to the WICB on any matter before them.'