adminZIMBABWE Cricket have been accused of taking their time to reach a memorandum of understanding with the Zimbabwe Professional Cricket Association which is meant to formalise the working relationship between ZC and the ZPCA.
On the other hand, the players’ body is now threatening legal action if an agreement is not reached soon.
Eliah Zvimba, the ZPCA chief executive officer said they drafted the MOU in April this year, handed it over to ZC who up to now are still saying they were consulting their lawyers. Zvimba said they wanted the issue of the MOU off the table so that they focus on other things.
“ZC are dragging their feet on reaching an MOU, it took us two weeks to draft it, we gave it to them in April and now they have taken seven months still telling us their lawyers are still looking at the document, this is unfair labour practice,’’ said Zvimba.
According to Zvimba, a labour law expert, in the event that the MOU was reached, the development would take away the responsibility of player welfare, medical aid, insurance as well as salaries from the ZC while the cricket mother body would be left with the responsibility of developing the game and administration.
ZPCA have since instructed their lawyers to engage ZC over the issue of the MOU and if they do not get any favourable response, the matter might spill into the courts.
In response to questions on the matter, Lovemore Banda, the ZC media and communications manager said for the agreement to be binding, they also needed to have an input.
“ZPCA submitted a draft MOU, and rightfully so. Indeed, for it to be binding, ZC also needs to make its own input. As part of that process, ZC had to consult with its lawyers. ZC’s lawyers have submitted their input which together with the draft submitted by ZPCA, will have to be referred to the relevant ZC Board Committee – in this case the Legal and Constitutional Committee. This is due process,’’ said Banda.
“Because of the nature of the document, the MOU has to go through due process. It cannot be rushed. And so measuring the process in terms of how long it has taken is missing the point. Surely ZC would not be expected to endorse a document which did not have input from ZC. ZPCA has always been advised of progress in this matter,’’ Banda added.
On the threat by ZPCA to take the matter to court, Banda said that was being handled by the ZC lawyers.
ZPCA led by top order batsman Hamilton Masakada was formed by Zimbabwean cricketers at the beginning of this year and represent all cricketers in the country.
The association which has the backing of Federation of International Cricketers Association played a huge role in bringing to an end the strike by local cricketers in protest over non-payment of salaries.
The ZPCA intervention saw the resumption and completion of the country’s 2013/14 domestic season as well as the country’s participation in the International Cricket Council World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.
Online Reporter