Joint Opposition shoot down Cricket Bill Petition by Stakeholders

Dec 13, 2013 Sports

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Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament, Odinga Lumumba, attempted to move a petition in Parliament to call for expeditious passage of the Guyana Cricket Administration Bill.
Even before the petition was formally put to the House, A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU), Basil Williams, objected to it being admitted and claimed that not only did it violate the standing orders with its language, but that the officials named are not in the House to represent themselves and further the matter is before the courts.
In the petition, it is argued that there is no legitimate Executive Committee of the Guyana Cricket Board and charged further that the assets, including funds of the Guyana Cricket Board and the Assets of the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) have been transferred to private individuals without authorization.
The petitions argued also that, “there is an apparent collusion between the West Indies Cricket Board and the illegal executive of the GCB”.
Williams in arguing against the petition being heard said that it not only offends, but would scandalize the parliament.
Government’s Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, in defence of the petition being laid in the House, told the Speaker that it is the Clerk who decides whether or not the petition can be submitted.
This she said was the job for the Clerk and he had already approved the motion.
Teixeira said that in the past petitions were submitted that had in it loaded language but were accepted because it is the right of the citizenry to be able to petition the Parliament.
She submitted that her fear is that each petition is going to be scrutinized with a fine teeth comb to ensure “that it satisfies us.”
This, she said, will diminish the right of citizens to petition the Parliament which is their only avenue to access the parliament.  “Citizens have a right to petition the House,” according to Teixeira.
Speaker Raphael Trotman did put the petition for a vote but it was defeated.
Kaieteur Sport presents the petition so our readers can have a view of the contention of the stakeholders and draw their conclusions.

Petition Of Constituent Members And Of Stakeholders Of Guyana Cricket

Upper Demerara Cricket Association
Wherefore, given the crises that have consumed our cricket over the past three (3) years, your petitioners humbly pray that the Parliament of Guyana expedite the passage of the Guyana Cricket Administration Bill 2012 as we are convinced that this is the only solution to resolve the cricket crises and to preclude the possibility of cricket being used as a conduit for laundering money.
GUYANA
COUNTY OF DEMERARA
In the matter of recognizing the illegality, disorder and chaos into which cricket has fallen and the poor and potentially harmful image being projected especially to our young cricketers and the importance and urgency for the National Assembly to enact legislation through the Guyana Cricket Administration Bill 2012 towards a legal and lasting remedy for cricket.
Petition
TO:  The Honourable Members of the National Assembly of Guyana
FROM: Constituent Members and Also Stakeholders of Guyana Cricket
1.    That the petition represents the interest of the major Constituent Members of Guyana Cricket  including but not limited to the Berbice Cricket Board, the East Coast Cricket Board, the Georgetown Cricket Association and Sub-Associations and Clubs of the Essequibo Cricket Board, the East Bank Demerara Cricket Association and the West Demerara Cricket Association and also cricket stakeholders throughout Guyana.
2.    That the petitioners are all adults and are citizens of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
WHEREAS there is no legitimate Executive Committee of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) as only one (1) of the three (3) Constituent Member Boards took part in the purported elections held in July 2011 and again in January 2013.
AND WHEREAS there is no legitimate Executive Committee of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) as a court order was issued in January 2013 prohibiting the holding of the DCB elections.
AND WHEREAS there is no transparency or accountability for the monies remitted by the West Indies Cricket Board Inc (WICB) to the purported GCB.
AND WHEREAS for the past three (3) years, there has been no Ordinary General Meeting nor financial statement as is stipulated by the constitutions of both the GCB and the DCB.
AND WHEREAS the Upper Demerara Cricket Association (UDCA) was founded in 2000, has a membership of eighteen (18) clubs, covers the vast area in Upper Demerara including Linden, Kwakwani, Ituni and riverain communities and is populated by upwards of fifty thousand residents (50,000) and the UDCA has a constitution and an Executive Committee in place and despite several attempts over the years, the UDCA has not been affiliated to the DCB and sadly remains outside of the cricket structure and ipso facto cannot access funds nor participate in competitions run by the GCB and the DCB.
AND WHEREAS the assets of the GCB and the assets of the DCB (including funds) have been transferred to private individuals without the knowledge and authorization of the Constituent Members of those Boards.
AND WHEREAS there is an apparent collusion between the WICB and the illegal Executive of the GCB and that the WICB continues to recognize the GCB as the governing body for cricket in Guyana without addressing the critical issue that the persons holding themselves as the Executives of the GCB were not constitutionally elected.
AND WHEREAS the GCB and its Constituent Members In their present state are unregulated, unregistered and unincorporated entities and have no legal status and cannot sue or be sued and this Bill seeks to empower the GCB and its Constituent Members through Parliament, the supreme authority for the enactment of laws in the interest of the people of Guyana.
AND WHEREAS Guyana cricket is in crisis and the past three (3) years have seen a rapid decline with Guyana losing all competitions played during this time and that the GCB has no cricket development plans and statutory Cricket Development Committee meetings are non-existent and that youth cricket is at an all-time low.
AND WHEREAS the majority and major Constituent Members of Guyana Cricket have perused the Bill and the attached Schedules and wish to state categorically that they are in full support of these documents pursuant to the passage of the Guyana Cricket Administration Bill 2012 and we are assured that, with both the Bill and the GCB Constitution, there will be no involvement by Government in the administration of Guyana Cricket and we are further assured that the Bill will engender order, accountability and transparency in the administration of Guyana Cricket and will pave the way for the holding of free and fair elections for the GCB and its Constituent Members.
AND WHEREAS the GCB, in its present unincorporated, unregistered and unregulated state and being in sole control of vast sums of money inflow and outflow including foreign currency is accountable to no one, thereby creating the opportunity for money laundering activities.
AND WHEREAS there is an inordinate delay with the passage of the Guyana Cricket Administration Bill 2012 in the National Assembly.
AND WHEREAS we are advised that the nine-member Parliamentary Special Select Committee has completed its work pursuant to the passage of the Bill in Parliament and that the delay is facilitating a continuation of the chaos and disorder that have consumed our national game over the past three (3) years
Wherefore, given the crises that have consumed our cricket over the past three (3) years, your petitioners humbly pray that the Parliament of Guyana expedite the passage of the Guyana Cricket Administration Bill 2012 as we are convinced that this is the only solution to resolve the cricket crises and to preclude the possibility of cricket being used as a conduit for laundering money. (Reporting by Gary Eleazar)

 

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