Coronavirus: Cricket West Indies cuts salaries of players and staff by 50% due to pandemic

Cricket West Indies on Saturday announced a temporary 50% reduction in salaries and funding across their entire regional cricket system which will be effective from July 1 as a result of the financial losses caused by coronavirus pandemic.

Players, staff, umpires and coaches have been receiving full salaries since the Covid-19 outbreak, but the lack of any international matches recently and the uncertainty over when cricket will resume has seen the board face a significant loss of income, CWI said.

The decision was made after CWI’s Board of Directors received recommendations from the Financial Strategy Advisory Committee during a tele-conference.

The board said the decision to announce financial cuts were taken after consulting all stakeholders and that the current plan will ensure a “minimum level of job protection” for all those who are contracted with the regional cricket community.

“With no international cricket currently being played anywhere in the world, and with great uncertainty of when regular cricket activity will resume, CWI – like many other international sporting organisations worldwide – is facing a significant loss of income, whilst also being uncertain of the long-term impact of the crisis on our operations,” the CWI said in a statement.

“It is in that context that CWI’s Board of Directors, with deep regret, have agreed to a plan that we expect will safeguard CWI’s future while delivering at least a minimum level of job protection for all of the people employed or contracted throughout the region’s cricket community.”

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CWI further added that these temporary measures will only be in place for not more than three to six months.

“This pandemic is hurting every West Indian and this decision to cut staff and player incomes has been a very difficult one to make; one that will impact so many members of the cricketing family around the Caribbean,” CWI president Ricky Skerritt said.

“This business continuity plan, unfortunately, requires all stakeholders to make a huge sacrifice, but I am confident that it won’t be long before CWI will be in a position to ensure that the sport we love can restart and be enjoyed once again by the thousands of cricket fans across the region and diaspora.”