Ramesh: PM must end impasse

“NO TRUE West Indies team can take the field without the best batsman in the world, Brian Lara and other key players such as Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle.” This is the sentiment expressed by former Attorney-General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj as he urged Prime Minister Patrick Manning to take the initiative, along with other Caricom Governments, as well as a consortium of business leaders to buy out the contracts of the star West Indies players from Cable and Wireless. He feels it would ensure that the region picks the best team for the upcoming South African tour of the West Indies which begins on March 31.

Maharaj’s call comes in the wake of Lara’s decison to stand on neutral ground in response to  an invitation by the West Indies Cricket Board, for him to join the team for the First Test. Subsequently the board took a decision to  leave out the double world record-holder in Test and First Class cricket, after he called on them to select the best team for the tour. Lara is among seven players who have been ruled out of the regional team since their personal contracts with Cable and Wireless were deemed to be in conflict with that of the West Indies team sponsors Digicel.

The Irish based telecomunications firm has pumped some US$20 million into the regional game after Cable and Wireless declined to renew their 18-year-old association with the team. Maharaj revealed in a media release on Sunday that “government’s inaction reflects the impotency to lead from by example in a sport that has been of crucial importance to Caribbean governments for years.” He observed that regional governments have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars into the staging of the 2007 Cricket World Cup and therefore the team should not be allowed to fall into such shambles.

This he said could be solved by proactive and innovative steps by the regional heads. The former AG in the United National Congress Government, now leader of Team Unity, said: “One ready solution to the problem could be reached by diverting funds from the still inoperable Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to finance West Indies cricket since the CCJ would be little more than a white elephant.” He said that Government’s inaction and reactive position in dealing with the current cricket crisis, are symptomatic of their incompetence, seen in the spiralling crime, murders and kidnappings in the country.