CLICO, Digicel must talk buyout

WEST Indies Cricket Board president EHC “Teddy” Griffith advised CL Financial to approach Digicel directly with their buyout offer. In a news release yesterday, the WICB boss was responding to an offer made earlier this week by CL Financial, to end the current player impasse In a letter to CL Financial, Griffith said: “The Board has asked me to thank you for your kind gesture which clearly demonstrates your interest in West Indies cricket and to assure you of our openness to discussing the furthering of the relationship between CLICO and the West Indies Cricket Board that has recently been fostered by your sponsorship of the Under3-15 Youth Cricket Tournament.”

On receipt of the WICB’s letter yesterday, CL Financial Group Financial Director Andre Monteil commented: “We are pleased to know that our offer has been given the serious consideration it deserves and would indeed be happy to discuss the range of possible outcomes with Digicel directly.” He noted: “We are deeply passionate about cricket.  What is important is for all concerned to keep the future of West Indies cricket as the central issue. “That future is at the heart of our $5 million support for cricket and youth through our sponsorship of the Under-15 Tournament, and is at the core of our continued interest in supporting the senior West Indies cricket team.

CL Financial made an offer to buyout Digicel in an effort to end the impasse between the WICB, the West Indies Players Association, Digicel and Cable & Wireless. This contractural controversy has led to a split in the West Indies team, with captain Brian Lara and six other top players — Dwayne Smith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Ravi Rampaul — being ignored for selection to the team for the First Test against South Africa starting on Thursday in Guyana. The full text of Griffith’s reply to CL Financial read: “I write in acknowledgement of your letter of March 17, 2005 addressed to Mr Roger Brathwaite, chief executive officer of the West Indies Cricket Board Inc, in which you offered to match the sponsorship offer that the West Indies Cricket Board now has with Digicel. “After consideration at a meeting of the board’s executive committee yesterday , the Board has asked me to advise that there exists between the board and Digicel a valid and binding contract for the sopnsorship of the West Indies cricket team which the board is obligated to honour.

“Your offer to match the sponsorship offer should therefore be taken up with Digicel directly rather than with the West Indies Cricket Board.
“The board has asked me to thank you for your kind gesture which clearly demonstrates your interest in West Indies cricket and to assure you of our openness to discussing the furthering of the relationship between CLICO and the West Indies Cricket Board that has recently been fostered by your sponsorship of the Under-15 Tournament.”