Girl With a Purpose (GWAP)

The Windies Cricket Team Strike and Why Women are Needed on the WICB!

The Windies players hail their fans
Originally uploaded by caribbeancricket

"Oh no, not again!", might have been the retort of some West Indian cricket fans, when they heard the news of the West Indian Cricket team strike, for the upcoming series against Bangladesh.

But unfortunately, it's deja vu again!

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) are at an impasse over unpaid monies to the West Indian players who toured England in April-June 2009.

(The WICB is the governing body for West Indies cricket, while WIPA is the union representing West Indian players).

The WICB has said that it has offered to pay the players, five (5) times their regular salaries...

But WIPA is claiming that:

1) It's more than just salaries that's at issue, it's the proper insurance coverage for players when they're injured.

2) It has no contract with the WICB for this upcoming series against Bangladesh.

Well, whatever the reasons, it seems that tomorrow's match against Bangladesh might be in jeopardy, unless the WICB and WIPA can iron out their differences.

(Bangladesh is in the Caribbean for  its upcoming series against the West Indies. The tour schedule for Bangladesh vs West Indies can be found, here).

The interesting thing to note is that if the West Indian players forfeit the match, then the West Indies Cricket Board will have to compensate Bangladesh to the tune of US $2 million, as per International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket rules.

(The ICC is the governing Board for cricket, internationally).

Well, we hope that the WICB and WIPA can reach an amicable agreement, so that the WICB won't be fined that amount.

But one wonders why both parties can't seem to have a standard contract in place, that's suitable to both of them.

...Is it so hard for the WICB to be fair to WIPA and vice versa?

It's a real disgrace that for almost every other major tour, these two organizations seem to be at logger-heads over standard contracts.

But I blame the WICB...they have delayed implementing a Pay-by-Performance contract and their procrastination has been like a noose around their neck.

Players should never be paid five (5) times their standard salaries, unless their performance individually and as a team is excellent!

And the West Indies' results on their recent tour in England, was a downright disgrace!

[We lost the test series 0-2,the One Day Internationals 0-2 and just managed to make the semi-finals of the ICC twenty20 (20/20) tournament].

...with all sorts of excuses made about the weather impeding performance.

I think that it's now time for a new WICB to be established, with fresh ideas, guts and business savvy, who can negotiate in the best interest of West Indies cricket: the fans, the players, the sponsors and the West Indian governments, who by mandate, have to pump money into the management of West Indies Cricket.

Until then, we will forever be having this tug-of-war between the WICB and WIPA.

My humble suggestion - the WICB needs to include at least three (3) women, who are prudent, business and financially savvy, with guts, and who can get things done, on that Board!...

(Presently, there are no women on the WICB...just take a look at the names of all the Directors on the Board - all men!)

WICB...you need the balance of women on that Board, to help you to think straight!...

Your high testosterone levels (hence, huge egos), are interfering with effective decision-making!

Nuff said! (Jamaican, meaning, enough has been said :)).

(I would like to thank  caribbeancricket for the use of their Flickr inset picture above, of the Windies Cricket team hailing their fans).

Gillian

Sources Include

1) Article, "West Indies players threaten boycott", by Cricinfo staff -Cricinfo.com, July 8,2009

2) Power 106FM 5:00 p.m. news, July 7,2009

3) Nationwide Radio's Evening Programme - "Cover Story", July 7,2009

4) Television Jamaica News at 7:00 p.m., July 7,2009

Happy 4th of July to Our American Friends!

Macy's parade 1
Originally uploaded by Pèval

To our Amercian and American-based friends, GWAP Blog wishes you a Happy 4th of July!!

Yes, the USA is 233 years old, today...having become independent in 1776..

And you have accomplished quite a lot since 1776...you are one of the most influential countries in the world, due to your financial and military might.

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Independence Day is usually celebrated by Americans having family reunions, concerts, barbeques, parades, picnics, baseball games...

...And at night, fireworks fill the sky!

But I wonder if most Americans realize how blessed you are?

You have great governance...one that is constitutionally bound...

Your leaders can't just get up one morning and decide to make decisions that are not in your best interest.

...You live in a country where most people can make a good, honest-living, if they work hard...despite a recession. 

Hmmh!

So now that you're a year older, we wish you prosperity: spiritually, creatively and financially...

May you continue to be a nation where equality is attainable and may you continue to hold your leaders accountable for the decisions they make that affect your daily lives!

Sources Include

Article, "Independence Day (United States)" on Wikipedia.org

Gillian

Michael Jackson's Funeral: Unnecessarily Extravagant?

Michale Jackson
Originally uploaded by Michale Jackson

Now I know that we have a habit in the Caribbean and among black communities in general, that when we bury our loved ones, we bury them, "in style".

The poorest among us have the most extravagant funerals...

...So that the dead person's relatives can say that they put him/her away "good".

Oh, don't mind the huge debt the family incurs to put their loved one away "good"...they just want to know that he/she had the biggest funeral and could out-do the previous "biggest" funeral, reserved for the well known and most-loved members of the community.

Well, its seems that Michael Jackson's family is following this time-honored tradition.

They announced that Michael Jackson's funeral/memorial service will be held next Tuesday..

...And guess what?

1) There were supposedly 11,000 tickets being given away to those fans who wanted to attend...now it's been reported that this number has reached 17,500

2) The funeral will be held at the Staples Center - home to the LA Lakers and the last place Michael performed before his death.

3) The Staples Center have been selling these tickets through their website, which crashed due to the huge demand for them. [That's 17,500 potential/existing customers that can be marketed to and increased brand value for the Staples Center (from free publicity from the funeral), at a very low acquisition cost].

Now I've been wondering the following, since I heard the news:

1) Hasn't it been reported that Michael is indebted to the tune of US $500 million dollars?

2) Who will be paying for Michael Jackson's funeral/memorial service...his family or the City of Los Angeles(LA)?

3) How much money will this memorial service cost?

(It has also been reported that Michael's body will not be at this memorial service for him and that the city of LA is broke and will be stretched thin, should they be the ones paying for this funeral).

Yes, I know Michael Jackson was the king of Pop and yes, many friends, family and fans want to pay their last respects to him...

...But the Staples Center?

Again, I trust that the family/the City of LA has been wise and has struck up a beautiful deal with the Staples Center managers - a deal which is more of a quid pro quo than actual money being fleshed out.

The Staples Center has already benefitted and stands to benefit tremendously from hosting Michael Jackson's funeral:

They will forever be embellished in history...

Additionally, the money they stand to make by making the Center a monument to his death, will more than pay for any costs the family would incur for holding the funeral there.

I hope the family's business managers or the LA City Officials were wise in suggesting this...and did not actually flesh out any money for this venue.

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If it is that his family will pay for this memorial service and it is true that Michael is so heavily indebted:

I think it would be unwise for them to spend so much on the memorial service and:

1) Not attend to Michael's debt problems, first.

2) Not have sufficient money left over for the present and future well-being of his children.

I just hope that Michael's family or the LA City Officials are being wise, level-headed and financially prudent where his funeral/memorial service is concerned.

(I would like to thank Michale Jackson for his Flickr inset photo above).

Gillian

Copyright 2009 Gillian Campbell. All Rights Reserved.

 

Source Include

1) Article, "Massive demand for Michael Jackson memorial tickets" by Bob, Tourtellotte, Reuters, July 3,2009

2) BBC News, July 2,2009