Discrepancies in WICB CEO's Story

Sat, May 21, '05

 

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is the transcript of an audio commentary by Jamaican journalist Simon Crosskill on several worrying contradictions made by WICB CEO Roger Brathwaite. It first aired on Radio Jamaica:

"You know the sponsorship deal signed with Digicel and the West Indies [Cricket] board and I'm sure you know about the whole brouhaha it created.

Well there are still some things that are still bothering me. So I spoke to the West Indies Cricket Board CEO Roger Brathwaite during the first one-dayer against South Africa here in Jamaica.

Now, on paper, it seems that the deal offered by Cable & Wireless was better than the one eventually accepted from Digicel.

Now remember, Digicel said they would sponsor the team for $20 million over five years. That's $4 million a year for the home and away series. Cable & Wireless offered about the same amount over three years for the home series alone.

But the West Indies board told Cable & Wireless they had to match an offer $30 million. Yes, $30 million.

Well, needless to say, Cable & Wireless turned it down and the rest is history.

Now earlier this year, when I asked Roger Brathwaite if he asked Cable & Wireless to match a $30 million bid, he said 'NO'. But, last Saturday, when I asked him again and told him I had a document with his signature on it, he then admitted that he did ask Cable & Wireless to match a $30 million bid.

See this four-page letter from Brathwaite to Digicel:
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Now I also asked him earlier this year if Digicel had a deal that allowed them to buy TV rights abroad and then claim back the money from the sponsorship that was due to the West Indies Cricket Board.

Again, he said 'no' there was no such deal. In fact, he said, categorically, 'NO!'

However, last Saturday, when I put the question to him again also warning him that I had documents with proof that Digicel had a 'clawback' clause in their contract, he then said 'yes'.

So not once, but twice, Brathwaite changed his answer to the same question.

I also asked him if the board had guaranteed to deliver players to Digicel without them having any personal contracts when they knew that the board was not in a position to do so? Well, he declined to comment.

Well I can tell you that the [WICB], even though it knew that it didn't have the right to do so, did sign a contract agreeing to deliver 'clean' players.

Oh, well you know that $20 million sponsorship? It turns out the board will only benefit by about $17.5 million because $2.5 million will go to a broker who put the deal together.

When I asked Brathwaite if the broker was owned by Digicel chairman Dennis O'Brien, Brathwaite said, to the best of his knowledge, 'NO'.

I also enquired as to whether anybody on the board received a 'kickback' for making the Digicel deal happen. Once again Brathwaite said 'NO'.

Now bearing in mind the West Indies board CEO gave different answers to the same questions that I asked him earlier this year, it might be prudent for me to wait a few months and then ask him about the brokers or the rumours of 'kickbacks' again.

I also asked, if by signing with Digicel, the board got the best deal for West Indies cricket. Brathwaite said 'Yes'.

I do hope Brathwaite concedes to another interview before the end of the year, assuming of course, that he's still the CEO of the West Indies Cricket Board.

I'm Simon Crosskill, with another view from Jamaica."