Browne's take on dispute

BARBADOS' players are not likely to be involved if the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) proceeds with strike action against the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) in their pay dispute.

Speaking to NATIONSPORT yesterday, captain Courtney Browne said he personally was uncomfortable with the situation and hoped it could be amicably resolved at today's meeting between the two parties.

Browne held meetings with his players on Tuesday and again yesterday to bring them up to date on the matter. Later in the afternoon, Barbados Cricket Association president Stephen Alleyne and first vice-president David Holford also met with the players.

Browne, who was in contact with WIPA president Dinanath Ramnarine several times yesterday, said he was not one for confrontation and urged both parties to settle the matter so the competition could go on.

"I don't believe in striking and a few of my players have expressed the same view," Browne said after yesterday's net session at Queen's Park.

"We must be able to negotiate in good faith and come to an amicable settlement. We need some stability in West Indies cricket."

Barbados are due to host Trinidad and Tobago in tomorrow's Carib Beer International Challenge semifinal at Kensington Oval.

Ramnarine threatened the WICB with strike action and a refusal to wear sponsors' logo if some "outstanding issues" were not ironed out.

At today's meeting, the WICB will be represented by acting chief Roger Brathwaite, and Barry Thomas, the chief financial officer; while Ramnarine will represent WIPA.

Sponsors Carib Beer have stayed out of the matter, and last night Farid Mansour, the local brand manager for Carib Beer, said: "This is a WICB and WIPA dispute and does not include Carib, but obviously we would like an amicable resolution as soon as possible."

One of the major issues of contention is pay increases in regional first-class cricket. The original proposal from the WICB was 20 per cent for junior players and ten per cent for players with international experience. The present fees per match are $450 for juniors with under 15 matches while seniors start at $600 on a sliding scale.

Browne also added that his players were reluctant to sign a document circulated by WIPA, which was aimed at negotiating on behalf of all players in the region.

"I can't advise my players to sign up. I have been told that Guyana and Jamaica have signed up but we must be clear on the facts."

In a statement yesterday the WICB outlined the issues surrounding the dispute.

"Players without international experience were given an increase of 20 per cent and players with international experience were given an increase of ten per cent, starting with the ongoing Carib Beer 2003 Cricket Series," the WICB said.

"The increase meant the WICB would be paying out over US$250 000 in players' fees for the Carib Beer 2003 Cricket."

It continued: "Ramnarine publicly suggested that this industrial action may be necessary because the WICB had `waited to the last minute' to discuss these issues.

"The facts are that in January this year, the WICB asked the WIPA to support their claim of representing all of the players participating in senior domestic competitions with documentation showing their membership of WIPA and consent to be bound by the organisation's negotiations.

"It must be noted that to date the WIPA has only been recognised by the WICB as the representative of West Indies players for international competitions."