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PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- Negotiations are on track for the staging of the inaugural Caribbean Premier League, a franchise tournament.

Confirmation has come from the new CEO of the West Indies Cricket Board, Michael Muirhead, who says the regional T20 series in January could be replaced by the CPL.

“The negotiations are going on to bring on stream the Caribbean Premier League and this would be a franchise tournament” Muirhead told a press briefing Monday in Port-of-Spain.

“The West Indies Cricket Board is negotiating the rights and after this it will be handed to a private promoter who has shown interest in staging the league”.

The regional T20 begins January 6 in Trinidad and Tobago, with the semifinals and finals to be played later in the month in St Lucia.

“It might mean that the regional T20 cricket tournament that is now being played, might have to be done away with,” said Muirhead.

“This would mean that the franchise team would now go on to represent the region at the Champions League tournament on an annual basis.”

Meantime, Muirhead is suggesting unity between the WICB and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) by the end of his tenure.

“I think with the temperament that I posses, I will be able to bring the parties closer together. Issues with WIPA don’t have to be contentious and at the end of my tenure I think WIPA would become a less contentious issue” said the new CEO.

“Both bodies have to work together to get things right and it will take compromise from both ends. We will sit and negotiate fairly while achieving our own individual ideals and I am confident things would work out.”

Recently the current trial between the WIPA and WICB heard that the WICB took money from the players’ earnings instead of depositing it into the provident fund.

“…at this point in time all monies are up to date in the provident fund,” said Muirhead. “Both the funds taken from the players and the funds that the WICB puts in for them as well.”

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