Latest update January 20th, 2025 4:00 AM
ECB responds to Mr. Claude Raphael
Dear Editor,
Kindly permit me space to respond to Mr. Claude Raphael nefarious article published in Wednesday’s edition of your daily newspaper entitled “Mr. Drubahadur must publicly account for his GCB stewardship”.
Firstly, Mr. Editor, the Essequibo Cricket Board has never participated in any illegal elections of the Guyana Cricket Board. The GCB election in 2011 was legitimate since both the Essequibo Cricket Board and the Berbice Cricket Board were present which constituted a quorum. Abstinence from voting will never affect a quorum in any meeting. So for Raphael to say that the ECB participated in illegal election is far from the truth.
Secondly Mr. Raphael should explain why he was part and parcel of a group that used state machinery to harass members of the GCB, some of whom were threatened with dismissal from their jobs. Raphael should explain also why members’ houses were searched by black clothes police officers in the presence of their families. Additionally, he needs to explain why his faction was trying to seat a person of their choice as president of the GCB.
Mr. Raphael needs to explain to the Guyanese public about his tenure as director of West Indies Cricket Board and what strides he made to develop cricket in Guyana. For under his watch, Guyana won no title. Moreover, he needs to explain to the Guyanese populace why, in all his years as chairman of national selection panel, not a single Essequibian was selected to represent Guyana, when players such as Ramesh Narine, Trevon Garraway and Norman Fredericks were good enough to do so whereas a number of players from the other counties were selected under questionable circumstances.
Mr. Editor, Mr. Raphael has the audacity to ask Mr. Drubahadur to account to the public. Why does a man with several junior and senior titles under his belt as president of the Guyana cricket board has to be accountable when winning titles should silence doubters.
Mr. Raphael claimed that the Guyana cricket board is a one man show, unfortunately no one human being can win three consecutive titles, if this is so then that one man is doing an excellent job, which should put all critics to rest. Mr. Raphael should know that the GCB is a democratically functioning institution as all those who are a part of the present system contribute to the success of the organisation. More importantly, that one man can be credited for making positive representation for Guyana at West Indies Cricket Board and contributed immensely to an increase in Essequibians getting an equal opportunity to represent Guyana. Can the same be said of Mr. Raphael? Definitely not.
Finally, Mr. Editor, Mr. Raphael needs to explain to the public that the real reason for the problem in Guyana cricket started when he was not selected as a director of the WICB and the public should know that he tried to railroad a democratic process.
The public should also know that the problems faced by Guyana’s cricket are as a result of the actions of Mr. Raphael’s faction in their quest for power. In closing, Mr. Raphael needs to tell the public why he and his cohorts have been sabotaging the efforts of the ECB in their attempts to have sponsorship.
Essequibo Cricket Board
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