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players wanting to represent the West Indies must play in regional competitions, the West Indies Cricket Board says.

Speaking on 900 AM on Tuesday night, West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Pat Rousseau said the Board had not varied its eligibility rule which had been in position for many years.

There has been much outcry about the rule which states that players must be available for regional tournaments to be selected for the West Indies.

Barbadians Ottis Gibson and Vasbert Drakes were the centre of attention, having both been playing first-class cricket in South Africa. Drakes recently expressed an interest in returning home with the aim of making the West Indies team, but family sources told Nationsport that Gibson was unlikely to make himself available.

``If our people are going after a payment of money and somebody could pay them more, soon we would not have a competition to choose players from,'' Rousseau said.

``The board at its last meeting reaffirmed a policy and there has been a circulation to the (West Indies) Players Association all over again. The plan is to advertise it as widely as possible that you have to play in our tournament.''

After a meeting earlier this year, the board had mandated its secretariat to redraft the rules to make them clearer, prompting speculation that it was willing to consider changes.

Rousseau added that the WICB was looking at reintroducing retainer contracts aimed at keeping players under the microscope at home.

``... it is desirable and we are looking at them and ways to finance them, but we don't have unlimited resources,'' the Jamaican businessman said.

``But equally important, the (eligibility) rule was in place for many, many years when there was no prospects of retainers. We are making an attempt at retainers and right now we are looking at revising and looking at putting something in place for the next season.''

Rousseau also gave details of the 2007 World Cup which is to be hosted by the West Indies. He referred to it as the ``biggest sporting event in the Caribbean'' and will surely be the largest sporting event or event of any kind ever to be staged in the Caribbean.

``We are just starting to put it together. It is a massive undertaking, and already we are in touch with Caribbean Tourism Organisation and governments,'' Rousseau said.

Calling it a massive exercise, he added that the board envisions between 150 000 and 170 000 visitors coming for the event which should provide good financial opportunities for the WICB.