the season gets under way next month.

President Randy Butler yesterday revealed that the number of active officials has dwindled down to less than 20 and predicted that the shortage will put an adverse burden on the shoulders of the association.

"It's going to be a hectic season for us simply because we are going to have a tough time dealing with the domestic schedule with fewer members available on a regular basis,'' said Butler.

"We have lost a few people because the recession is causing them to work overtime on their regular jobs rather than to spend a full day on Sundays working for just $48 they receive from a game.'' Prior to last season the association had operated with close to 30 active members and Butler reckons that unless additional people are attracted to join their ranks it could indeed be a difficult year.

The association is therefore making a public plea for former cricketers in particular to become involve in umpiring. Butler is asking those interested come out and get involved in the series of lectures that the association is staging between now and the start of the season.

"We are in desperate need of some sincere individuals who intend to make a serious attempt to learn the rules of the game and become umpires in order that the sport of cricket can survive here in the island,'' said the president.

Butler also believed that one turn-off for umpires was the failure of certain clubs to pay their umpiring fees, noting that while most of the delinquent clubs are just now settling outstanding accounts from last season one in particular still owed as much as $1,000.

The association is facing this dilemma at a time when it is preparing to host the 16th biennial West Indies Cricket Umpires Association Convention here in Bermuda from May 16-21.

It is because of this big event that Butler hopes that any problems that they are experiencing will be long resolved by the time officials begin to arrive from the Caribbean for the conference.

RANDY BUTLER.