Latest update December 21st, 2024 1:52 AM
AFC not in support of Guyana Cricket Administration Bill
Alliance for Change (AFC) Leader, Attorney- at- Law Khemraj Ramjattan stated that they are not in support of the Guyana Cricket Administration Bill presented by the Government. He was speaking at a press conference held by the party yesterday. He said the Government wants to control and that he is happy with the West Indies Cricket Board attitude in relation to the bill. He indicated that there was a layout in India where the Government did something which was acceptable by all stake holders without having any control over the cricket board.
Khemraj Ramjattan
He indicated that the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board is corporatized by their legislation and the Government has nothing to do with the control, management and running the affairs of their cricket. Why not take that kind of legislation? Ramjattan asked.
He said he spoke to the Attorney General Anil Nandalall and the Minister of Sport Frank Anthony about same. He informed, if we want a solid piece of legislation governing the issue we must not only corporatize the GCB and the County Boards but the Clubs and various Associations as well.
“This is where the problem will come because those underneath the boards like Clubs and sub Associations by virtue of what Chief Justice Ian Chang has ruled, it would mean the base (bottom) would be made up of legal non entities, because right now he is saying the GCB and County Boards are not corporatized, that is why it is illegal for what they are doing”. “If you are going to make those two boards legal (country and county), and the base then, people who are going to elect them, we have to also legalize their status”, stated Ramjattan.
“We don’t want a pyramid where the top is legalized and the bottom which is the cross section of who are involved not having a status. That is what this legislation does not address”, he added.
“We have to now do something to incorporate all clubs so that they can have status and voting rights, because remember this crisis came because some people were saying clubs were forming Phantom clubs so they can get delegates to vote for them to win elections. If we don’t get the voting rights of members at the bottom regularized, what is going to happen at the top; It is still going to be tarnished and tainted with the illegalities”, Ramjattan further stated.
The West Indies Cricket Board recently responded to the amended constitution put forward by the Government IMC informing that they could not accept the proposals being made, some of which gave the Sports Minister much power in the running of the affairs of the GCB. This practice of government interference in sport is being frowned on by many governing sports bodies including the ICC, the governing body of cricket. Football (FIFA) has a zero tolerance attitude in dealing with government interference.
The WICB just recently rejected the Guyana Government IMC appointed team for the regional T20 tournament, rather accepting the GCB selected one. The need for the sport to be sorted out in Guyana is necessary because of the effect on development and other cricket related matters including no regional and international matches being played here due to the current situation.
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