(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) welcomes the news that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) led by its President Dr Julian Hunte and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA), led by its President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Dinanath Ramnarine, have agreed to a Memorandum of Agreement resolving all but two of the outstanding issues between the two parties. CARICOM expects to obtain the assistance of the President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to deal with the arbitration of the two outstanding matters which they have referred to that process – the issue regarding the India 2009 Tour and that of “Team Rights”.

West Indies Cricket is the signal beneficiary of this collaborative agreement between the WICB and the WIPA. CARICOM expresses its appreciation to Dr Hunte and Mr Ramnarine, and their staff, for their contribution to this resolution and looks forward to continued improved relations between the WICB and WIPA in the interests of West Indies cricket.

The parties acknowledged that the proposals by the CARICOM Prime Ministerial Sub-committee on Cricket helped to set the stage for this agreement.

CARICOM also looks forward to the ideas which will emerge from the stakeholders Meeting on West Indies Cricket proposed by the WICB and the Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Cricket. It pledges its dedicated support for the strengthening and creation of mechanisms which will ensure enlightened governance and development of West Indies Cricket.

CARICOM Secretary-General His Excellency Edwin Carrington, in welcoming the agreement, expressed his appreciation to CARICOM Chairman, His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, President of Guyana, the members of the Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Cricket, the mediator, Sir Shridath Ramphal, Digicel, and all other parties including the staff of the Secretariat, for their contribution to the positive outcome of this process.