NEW YORK, CMC:BARBADOS' PRIME Minister, Owen Arthur, says it is time that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) reach a settlement in the impasse over contractual arrangements for players.
Arthur said that the contractual "squabbling" should be settled once and for all, pointing out that the focus should now be on preparing for the 2007 World Cup and the future of West Indies cricket.
"It should really be the common ground that commands the attention of the two (WICB and WIPA)," he said.
"West Indies cricket has gone down because we have not done what is needed to bring the level of organisation to a higher level."
He continued: "A few thousands of dollars should not be enough to stop us from seeing a common purpose of the only thing, really, that has effectively held the Caribbean people not only together, but the only thing that has given us a global sense of accomplishment for more than 50 years."
"Obviously, the game has been, in many respects, destabilised to some degree because we can't properly plan."
TALKS BROKE DOWN AGAIN
Talks reportedly broke down again between the WICB and WIPA as the two bodies negotiated the contentious match tour contracts for the upcoming three-Test tour of Australia.
It comes after Grenada Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell, chairman of the CARICOM sub-committee on cricket, had expressed cautious optimism over progress made during three recent separate meetings in Grenada, involving the major stakeholders in West Indies cricket.
Arthur said his administration stood ready to help resolve the impasse, but hastened to add: "There are certain things that should be left to the board (to decide)."
WICB president Ken Gordon hinted this week that they would seek help from the International Cricket Council if negotiations broke down again.
