Players Want Full-Time Contracts (9 November 1998)

9 November 1998

Players Want Full-Time Contracts

The Barbados Nation

In the short term, the stand-off between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and its players is about payment for the series against South Africa.

In the long term, it is about the long-term desire for West Indies players to be contracted full-time to their board.

That is according to reports from London.

West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) president indicated about as much when he said WIPA was seeking to look out for the younger players.

They want a contractual system in line with the Australian and South African systems, and at a comparable rate of pay.

As Clive Lloyd, team manager, said: "We're not flush with money in the West Indies but we understand the situation. You have got to be paid commensurate with your ability, but you have got to be paid according to the money that's there. That's where you negotiate."

But Lloyd also described a Caribbean cricket culture in an uneasy financial state at the end of a year which began with the abandoned Jamaica Test against England.

He said: "Everybody would like more money but because of our spread-out islands, we have difficult demands.

"We're not like England where you can travel from county to county. We have to fly and we have to stay in hotels during peak season. For our cricketers that's very expensive."

The board did pay fees last year to more than two dozen stars, including many identified as future Test players. But this year, and for next, no money is available and most players have resumed their play in England, South Africa and Canada.

Caribbean governments pledged to support the board in raising funds to keep players at home but WICB president Pat Rousseau was forced to complain this year that they weren't meeting their commitments with cash.

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)