BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (Sporting Eagles): West Indies captain Brian Lara announced on Saturday that he is ready to help resolve the current conflict between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and West Indies Players Association (WIPA). “I suggest a lot of sincere apologies – private apologies – would pave that way forward, and once an apology is offered, let the issue be dropped once and for all,” Lara said in a statement. “If it is felt that I owe someone an apology, even if maybe I feel I was right, let me try to understand the other point of view and apologise for the negative perception created. The same for everyone involved. What has happened has happened; we cannot rewrite history, but we can learn from it.” Lara who was named in a group of seven players the West Indies Cricket Board says will not be considered for the upcoming home series against South Africa and Pakistan later this month, said in a that he is willing to meet with anyone. "I am more than willing to do this if called upon by any or all the participating parties. If I can help, I am prepared to speak to anyone, anywhere and at any time, but I suggest, with respect, that positive action is needed now. Time is not on our side and hatchets have to be buried with haste if indeed there are hatchets to be buried," Lara stated. "If anyone can show me the solution and I felt I could influence a major change, I would respond like a shot," the West Indies captain said. Trinidad and Tobago star batman said he is worried about the pessimistic cloud hanging over regional cricket at the moment, but said that with five parties being involved there must be some compromise made. "There are five parties directly involved in the overall problem: West Indies Cricket Board (WICB); Digicel; the players themselves, including me; Cable & Wireless; and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA). But this is not simply a regional cricket problem." Lara added that: "It involves governments, economics and the opinions and judgments of the cricket world at large; to say nothing about shifting much needed energy, attention and focus away from World Cup 2007. The effects are both immediate and far-reaching if we do not find a way to go forward immediately." The World record holder for the highest innings in Test and first class cricket, also added that this ongoing conflict which separates some of the senior players and their sponsor C&W, against the WICB and the team sponsor Digicel, could allow him to open a path to dialogue. “It is possible that because I am West Indies captain, [because I] was appointed and am employed by WICB, [because I] am sponsored as a player by Digicel, [because I] am sponsored as a private individual by C&W, and [because I] am a member of West Indies Players Association, that my multi-faceted role may allow me the privilege of opening a door or two, even if slightly." A meeting for all involved parties is schedule for St George's, Grenada today. Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com