Dear Editor,
I agree wholeheartedly with the Jamaica Observer editorial on Saturday, October 18, 2014 'Torturous days ahead for West Indies cricket'.
The series of events that unfolded last week is certainly the most embarrassing thing to happen to our game in recent times. As a supporter of the West Indies as a region, and the development of the area as a whole, West Indies cricket and the University of the West Indies were the last holdouts of keeping us together with pride and hope for a united people.
The debacle of the West Indies withdrawing from their contractual obligations is abhorrent. While not knowing all the details of this situation, it is clear that there is enough blame to go all around. The question must be asked of the West Indies Cricket Board, the West Indies Players' Association, and the players, themselves: Couldn't there have been back room for negotiations to resolve this issue rather than embarrass a region with this act? This just shows the world that we are not ready for the big times.
I am so embarrassed by this turn of events. I would not be surprised if we are banned from future international cricket engagements. Maybe we should be proactive and withdraw from international cricket for a year and revisit our contractual policies and write clear procedures for our players and board that can lead us forward. We can not be negotiating players compensation in the middle of a tour. And we cannot be washing our laundry on the world stage.
This is a mark on us that we have to get right or we will be exiled for a long, long time.
For those of us that love the game, we hope that all the "bigger heads" will act with alacrity. May this never happen again.
Francois St Juste
Francois.StJuste@rjrgroup.com
West Indies should consider taking a year-long break from cricket
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I agree wholeheartedly with the Jamaica Observer editorial on Saturday, October 18, 2014 'Torturous days ahead for West Indies cricket'.
The series of events that unfolded last week is certainly the most embarrassing thing to happen to our game in recent times. As a supporter of the West Indies as a region, and the development of the area as a whole, West Indies cricket and the University of the West Indies were the last holdouts of keeping us together with pride and hope for a united people.
The debacle of the West Indies withdrawing from their contractual obligations is abhorrent. While not knowing all the details of this situation, it is clear that there is enough blame to go all around. The question must be asked of the West Indies Cricket Board, the West Indies Players' Association, and the players, themselves: Couldn't there have been back room for negotiations to resolve this issue rather than embarrass a region with this act? This just shows the world that we are not ready for the big times.
I am so embarrassed by this turn of events. I would not be surprised if we are banned from future international cricket engagements. Maybe we should be proactive and withdraw from international cricket for a year and revisit our contractual policies and write clear procedures for our players and board that can lead us forward. We can not be negotiating players compensation in the middle of a tour. And we cannot be washing our laundry on the world stage.
This is a mark on us that we have to get right or we will be exiled for a long, long time.
For those of us that love the game, we hope that all the "bigger heads" will act with alacrity. May this never happen again.
Francois St Juste
Francois.StJuste@rjrgroup.com
West Indies should consider taking a year-long break from cricket
-->