Hurricanes face possible legal battle with coach

 
The Leeward Islands Cricket Board (LICB) and head coach of its Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Reginald Benjamin, are at odds over the “non-payment” of match fees.
President of the LICB, Enoch Lewis, has confirmed that the Board is in receipt of a letter sent by Benjamin’s legal representative seeking to have the matter addressed.
According to Lewis however, he is not aware that the Leeward Islands Cricket Board is in the habit of paying out match fees to coaches.
“This professional league has only been in existence for three years and I am not aware that we have paid match fees to coaches in the past. He [Benjamin] has been on board for just about two years and he had not previously written to the board requesting fees,” he said.
For now, Lewis said they are seeking clarification from Benjamin’s legal team as to the premise on which they are basing their claims.
“As requested in the letter we have responded just asking for clarification and supporting documents so that we can take a look at it to see whether or not the claim that is being made is just. It is not specified in his contract that it happens so we just want clarity,” the president said. 
As for Benjamin’s future with the sub-regional team, the LICB boss said it is within his right as an employee to challenge the board on issues he believes has transgressed his legal rights.
“I think an employee is within their rights to make claims as they see fit. My preference would have been that [he] would have had to face to face discussions with the board before proceeding along the lines that he has done so; obviously he and his side probably feels he is not competent enough to address the matter by
himself and so he has reached out for assistance so that’s where we are,” he said.
The Hurricanes were beaten by seven wickets in their latest Four Day contest against the Windward Islands Volcanoes.