(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Mediation Process established by Agreement between the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players Association on 21 July under the good offices of the Chairman of CARICOM, President Bharrat Jagdeo, has ended without agreement between the Parties. In announcing this today, a clearly disappointed Sir Shridath Ramphal, said that it was another bad day for West Indian cricket which, without fundamental changes, is now likely to deteriorate further.

Sir Shridath explained that twenty-four (24) hours before the end, he believed that Agreement between the Board and WIPA was at hand; and that he had actually invoked assistance of various kinds to make implementation of the Agreement feasible. However, all that changed dramatically when one Party introduced an entirely new document and refused to negotiate on any other.

Sir Shridath said that he will now report to President Jagdeo as Chairman of CARICOM and to the Secretary-General on the outcome of the Mediation effort.

Meanwhile, he counseled followers of West Indian cricket not to despair. “Cricket”, he said, “is in our regional genes; it cannot be lost”.

Barbados
1 September 2009