Simmons, CWI settle wrongful firing

Simmons, CWI settle wrongful firing
Associated Press / Kirsty Wigglesworth

Within a day of coming into office as Cricket West Indies (CWI), President, Ricky Skerrit has announced that the board has settled their differences with former West Indies coach, Phil Simmons.

Skerrit said the two parties had reached an amicable resolution in the wrongful dismissal claim by Simmons following his firing in 2016.

The resolution represents the first action taken by Skerrit and new vice-president Dr. Kishore Shallow to fulfill one of their campaign promises to mend stakeholders’ differences, particularly with former players.

At a meeting last week between the CWI and Simmons at Sandals Grande, Antigua Skerrit is reported as telling the former Windies coach he would like to apologize to him for referring “to your appointment as a ‘mistake’. Cricket West Indies did not make a mistake when we selected you as head coach.” Simmons accepted the apology.

During the recent election campaign, former CWI President, Dave Cameron told Jamaica radio that CWI “made a bad decision when we hired Phil and we had to get out of that situation.”

After the Industrial Court hearing in Antigua last week, CWI said it was agreed that the settlement amount will remain confidential,

Simmons was claiming close to US$300,000, plus legal cost for wrongful dismissal as head West Indies coach.