Let me first say that I have never heard the Chris Gayle interview in its entirety, so it is difficult to speak to the appropriateness, or otherwise, of the comments.

I do have a concern, though, and it it has to do with natural justice. If Gayle breached a code of conduct, I am sure there must be a system in place for the board to set up a hearing. It cannot be for Hilaire and Gibson to decide between them that he should not be playing for the West Indies until he apologises.

I find Hilaire's comments to be rude and offensive, not only with respect to the comments he made about the prime minister, but also with regard to the manner in which he has been behaving in this matter. He seems to be playing God, and that is why a lot of people get turned off by him.

I do not believe anyone, including Chris Gayle, is indispensable to West Indies cricket. But then neither is Gibson nor Hilaire. The current WICB administration is certainly one of the worst I have ever seen having responsibility for West Indies cricket.

Balvin Leslie

(balvinl@yahoo.co.uk)

The prime minister is perfectly spot on in asking that the issue of Gayle be settled. Gone are the days when people can't say what they are feeling without been chastised or crucified. Gayle is a grown man and a professional, and if there is something that the WICB is doing that affects his job function, he should feel free to speak his mind. In this case, the board was offended and, therefore, ordered an apology. It is my opinion that if the board wanted to take action, it should suspend the player for a given time, or impose a ban, and after the time is served, he could return, but not an apology.

Who has looked into what Gayle has said and checked to see if there are grounds for these remarks? The PM was spot on, and if the former Government was thinking, that could have been over a long time ago.

The WICB is not a group of angels, as we all know, but they want to be treated like they are. In the recent past, there are numerous instances when they slip up or act dishonestly, bending the rules to suit the needs of their favourites.

One of the requirements to represent the West Indies is that one has to represent his country at the regional frist-class level, yet former captain, Brian Lara, on his own, brought in a player who had never played a first-class game, and it was sanctioned by the WICB with no uproar. The reasons for not giving Jamaica a Test match this upcoming series was a silly explanation by the board as it related to weather patterns. More than 70 per cent of Test matches played in Jamaica have been held over this period, so it is very strange that the weather pattern is now a factor.

People should think before they comment on issues and say things that are not fair. It's so disrespectful for the board to respond to the honorable prime minister the way that it did, and the issue is to be dealt with once and for all. Cricket is bigger than Gayle, bigger than the prime minister and also bigger than the WICB, and we should always be fair right across the board.

Howard Frank

(reggaehowie@yahoo.com)

In response to your article written in the weekend Star, it is very obviousthatyou are neither a Jamaican nor a West Indian who is hurting to see our cricket dying. My sonsdon't watch cricket because there is nothing about it toattractthem. I can't even hear live coverage of Jamaica playing regional cricket. I can't even watch the West Indies play on home soil for them to be blaming it on the weather. Why would you write an article like this when finally it looks like our cricket is going to be fixed? Where were you all along? For your information, Shane Warne did the same, or even worse. People like you destroy when it is time to fix.

Karen Heslop

(karenatntp@gmail.com)

Twitter

^{@StarSportsJM}

^{This whole issue with Chris Gayle needs to b solved. There is a lot of things not being said and I am glad the PM spoke.}

^toddla72

Natural justice must run its course

Disgruntled West Indies fan

Gayle has the right to speak