Aanensen hits back at WIPABy KERN RAMLOCHAN Saturday, June 23 2007
CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Bruce Aanensen said that he would be honouring the agreement the WICB made with the Arbitration Panel and respect the wishes of chairman, Sir David Simmons to keep the matter between the WICB and West Indies Players Association (WIPA) out of the public.
This was in response to a WI Players’ Association press conference on Wednesday when it was announced that the Arbitration Panel has ruled in their favour deeming the current tour to England outside the Future Tour Programme (FTP).
“I know the WICB would be upholding our end of the agreement.
However, I saw Mr Ramnarine chose this as an opportunity to take the matter public and beat his chest as another victory for WIPA,” said Aanensen. Over the last few years the WICB and WIPA have not be able to agree on several matters concerning West Indies cricket. The latest row between the two parties has been over the proposed West Indies “A” tour of Zimbabwe which has been scheduled for next month.
WIPA has stated that they are not in support of the tour citing concerns over the safety of the players with their president Dinanath Ramnarine claiming that WIPA’s research has led them to oppose the tour. “Anybody can go online and research what is happening in Zimbabwe and they will be able to see that the country’s economy is in a mess and I don’t see how this would be helping West Indies cricket because they are way under us with their International Cricket Council status being reviewed later this month,” said Ramnarine.
However, Aanensen explained that the WICB would be continuing to plan the tour of Zimbabwe despite WIPA’s opposition to the tour.
“The WICB has gone through great pains to organise a West Indies ‘A’ team tour of Zimbabwe.
We have gotten the written assurances from both the Zimbabwean government and the Zimbabwe Cricket Board (ZCB) which is the proper process which must be taken before every tour.
“All our research have been relayed to WIPA.
However the research they have done has never been sent to the WICB. Therefore the WICB will plan a tour on the information which we have available to us,” said Aanensen.
“Apparently the way forward for West Indies cricket under Dinanath Ramnarine’s guidance is to play no cricket.
Dinanath must be receiving his information on the Zimbabwe tour at www.caribbeancricket.com while the board have gone and gotten safety assurances from a government and a cricket board. “Approximately two or three years ago a hotel was blown up in Pakistan two days after the West Indies departed the country, but this has not stopped us from touring Pakistan,” said Aanensen.
He explained that the WICB would be pursuing all channels for the tour and will be openly accepting any information WIPA has collected about their findings of the conditions in Zimbabwe.
“Zimbabwe has invited us to tour their country because they need ‘A’ team cricket to test their level of cricket in their country.
“The West Indies has a responsibility to help Zimbabwe in a time when their ICC status is being reviewed. God has given us two hands, one to give and one to receive.
We are in a position to help another nation get back on their feet and for Mr Ramnarine to question what is West Indian cricket solely to gain out of this tour really say something,” says Aanensen.
“If England were to question what they have to gain by playing the West Indies team in the summer we would have been in a terrible position.
“If Australia and Sri Lanka were to decide what they were to gain against playing the West Indies we would not have these teams touring the West Indies because our players are not doing their job properly,” said Aanensen.
Ramnarine explained that it was a certainty his players would not be touring Zimbabwe with the West Indies ‘A’ team.
“Everybody is Dinanath’s player. Maybe he should come out and tell his players that he is disappointed with their performances.
“WIPA wants the board to give them 110 percent of revenue and run West Indies cricket in debt apparently. The players are not doing the job but they want more money despite being incompetent,” said Aanensen.
“Dinanath needs to remember that he is a representative of the players who are paid by the WICB. He needs to look at the performance of his players and really find out what are the needs of his players and what they want or would he rather wait before a tour is about to start to raise commotion and try to embarrass the board,” said Aanensen.
He revealed that he had nothing to hide and therefore can back up what he says in the media with facts.
“Rome was not built in one day. I have had no illusions about this job and I know how to address the problems facing us,” said Aanensen.
