WIPA decieves Guyana Players about payment to FICA

Several players in the Guyana Cricket Team that participated in the Airtel Champions League 2010 (Champions League) in South Africa are angry that they were misled by Dinanath Ramnarine, the Chief Executive of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) and their captain Ramnaresh Sarwan into giving 5% of their match fees to the Federation of International Cricket Associations (FICA). Payments to the players from the Champions League is understood to be imminent and it is only now that the payers realise that they are obliged to pay FICA 5% of their match fees a figure which is approximately US$ 2000 or G$400,000 (four hundred thousand Guyana dollars). One player who did not want to be named said that Ramnarine and Sarwan both made them all tick a box indicating "yes" to the contribution on their contracts; in fact Sarwan checked each contract to see that each person had ticked "yes". It is only now the player understands that it will cost him so much money.

Another player who also wanted to be nameless said that "we are young players now making our way and we need every cent to support our career and our families" he further said it was unfair that players like Sarwan who is financially well off would mislead his players into "giving away" their hard earned money to an organisation of which they knew nothing and who had no attachment or involvement with them.

On source in WIPA confirmed that FICA is the 'umbrella' body of all the players' associations worldwide and WIPA relied upon FICA for advice and support when they are fighting the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and as such to keep FICA support they assisted FICA with funding. The source further said none of that money was going to WIPA; WIPA player fees are separate and distinct. A source in the WICB also said that the players would not only have to pay WIPA but they would also "have to pay a licence fee to West Indies Player Management Company Limited (WIPMACOL) which is in effect Ramnarine's business arm of WIPA".

Three Guyanese players confirmed that Ramnarine had made contact with them about fee payments which have to be made to WIPA and WIPMACOL but he did not specify to them the amounts that had to be paid. The players are afraid of disclosing their identity because of the likelihood that Sarwan and Claude Rafael (GUyana's Chairman of Selectors) who are both close to Ramnarine could hinder their cricket career. The three players confirmed that two other players had already sought legal advice on the payment of the 5% to FICA with a view to reversing their choice made earlier and they were now thinking of doing the same.

Ramnarine refused to answer any questions about the deduction of fees from the Guyanese Players saying whatever they signed on the the contract is what they have to pay. However, the Guyanese Players contention that they were mislead and cajoled into giving the fee to FICA has caused much anxiety in legal circles in the West Indies; causing a leading Senior Counsel in Jamaica to say that it appears the WIPA is now functioning in a style and fashion more commonly seen in organised crime where a "monopoly is obtained by threats, fear and deceit"; such organisational practices would be a "most ominous sign for West Indies Cricket".

Bissoondyal: "I have money so I control dem black people on my Board"

Mr. Bissoondyal Singh, leader of the Bissoondyal led faction of the Demerara Cricket Board, speaking in the company of friends and his lawyer at a Sleep In hotel in Georgetown on Friday night boasted that no member of his faction of the Demerara Cricket Board was free to vote at the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board elections in an independent manner. "I tell them who to vote for" he said. He further went on to say that he had made promises to the politicians to deliver the Board to them to be used as a tool in the upcoming election campaign and as such he had to take instruction from the politicians and his Board members in turn had to follow his instructions. Bissoondyal boasted that the vice-president of his faction of the Demerara Cricket Board, former West Indies Test Player Roger Harper had no say in the decisions of the Board. Bissoondyal boasted to his friends that "black people greedy, is only lil money they want and they have to depend on indians for the money, we own them". He said Roger Harper was not working at the moment and was being supported by hand outs from him of which he said he had plenty. He further went on to comment that "pacer" Adonis who has been involved in Demerara Cricket for more than a decade was now squarely on his side because of the "couple thousand dollars" I give him every week. Adonis would do "anything I ask him to do" because of the "lil freck" I give him every week. That is how you control black people he declared.

Bissoondyal admitted that he was dependent on the support of Harper, Adonis and Chairman of National Selectors Claude Rafael to be elected but he said he was sure of the support because "Rafael goes to Berbice for me ... look he going on Sunday again (last Sunday) and he gotta go because he bruk and is me who he gotta beg for a small piece". In a comment about the appointment of Mark Harper as the National Cricket Team Coach, Bissoondyal defended his fight against Mark Harper at the Board level when a vote was being taken on the appointment saying "Mark ain't nobody; I gotta put somebody there who I could control and Mark don't even listen to Roger most of the time".

Bissoondyal boasted that he had the votes to win the Presidency of the Guyana Cricket Board because he had bought out four votes from the Berbice Cricket Board. "Bai, I telling you, I gat money so I will always control dem black people ... all you need to do is give them a two thousand now and then and they will follow you like a dog everywhere".

Bissoondyal was confident that his faction would be the faction that would go to the Guyana Cricket Board Elections because of the political clique he had behind him. "I don't care about any constitution or any Court or what anybody else say ... I taking over the Board and all I need is for the Ministers I have behind me to do what I say and I got it covered". He openly admitted that the interference of political elements was an integral part of him succeeding and he feared if the  High Court got involved to examine things that would interfere with is march to the Presidency of the Guyana Cricket Board.

Chairman of Selectors Slams Government Over Non-Payment of Monies

In a startling disclosure Claude Rafael, Chairman of Selectors of the Guyana National Cricket Team slammed the Government of Guyana for not paying the full sponsorship monies due to the Guyana Cricket Team. Sources say the startling revelations were made over the last weekend by Rafael in the presence of several persons at a cricket associated event.

The Guyana Cricket Team upon winning the Caribbean Twenty/ 20 Tournament in July, 2010 were the representatives of the region at the Airtel Champions League 2010 in South Africa. The team then received numerous offers to sponsor them in the Airtel Champions League 2010; but the then acting Minister of Sport Irfan Ali insisted he could arrange for a more lucrative sponsorship commitment that was being offered to the Guyana Cricket Board at the time. In the end the Guyana Cricket Board had no sponsor and President Bharrat Jagdeo to sponsor the Cricket Team and ensure the Team had the necessary funding to prepare and participate in the Champions League. The urgent and magnanimous act of the Guyanese President saved the day for the Guyana Cricket Team. However, sources at the Berbice Cricket Board have confirmed that to date the Government of Guyana has not paid the full sponsorship amount to date.

The Cricket Crusader was able to confirm Rafael's statements from multiple persons present at the gathering. The Chairman revealed that one of the officials seeking to be elected President of the Guyana Cricket Board, Bissoondyal Singh, had informed him that he had gotten junior Minister of Housing Mr. Irfan Ali to block the sponsorship payment due tot he players. Rafael said the PPP Government was most likely not paying money to the players because they wanted to siphon off the money to fund their participation in the upcoming General Elections.

Persons at the event said Rafael was adamant that Bissoondyal would be the next President of the Guyana Cricket Board but he doubted whether the Government would even pay the money even then; because as he said "dem man corrupt" and "nobody gon get that money from them". 

Rafael said further that its only the players who will suffer because of the pure greed of the Guyana Government. The sponsorship money was to be paid in part to the players.