Cricket Ombudsman facilitates unconstitutional East Bank Essequibo Cricket Committee elections

Dec 06, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,
I shall be most grateful if this letter is carried in its entirety so as to inform the public of the true situation is happening with Cricket Administration in the county of Essequibo.
Management of Cricket in Essequibo has been plunged into further crisis with the recent and unconstitutional holding of elections in East Bank Essequibo by a group of clubs facilitated by the Cricket Ombudsman, Mr. Malcolm Peters on Friday, November 12, 2021 at Tuschen Sports Club Ground. This recent development has resulted in East Bank Essequibo now having two Cricket Committees, an official and an unofficial one.
The last Biennial Election of this Area Committee was held in November 2018 thus, elections became constitutionally due in November 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic normalcy has been severely disrupted with organised cricket been last played in April 2020. At no time between November 2020 and October 2021has any club or member openly expressed dissatisfaction with the substantive East Bank Essequibo Cricket Committee (EBECC). Notwithstanding all of this, the constitution outlines all procedures to be followed but these have been ignored in the holding of the recent elections. One would have thought that the Ombudsman would have made contact with the East Bank Essequibo Cricket Committee or the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) if he wanted to be involved but he has clearly overstepped his mandate, which is to verify the existence of clubs. He cannot turn up at the elections to verify clubs. This must be done prior in the fields. The Ombudsman must have known that Mr. Francis Wright, who was elected as the PRO, was in the Interior at that time and still is there. When contacted, Mr. Wright confirmed that he did not consent to be elected which is constitutionally done by way of a letter expressing such desire once absent for the meeting.
We the legitimate Committee are standing our ground since we have the constitutional mandate to do so and have written the Essequibo Cricket Board about the existing situation. According to our records, there are nine (9) clubs affiliated to the EBECC viz, Hyde Park, Parika-Salem, Hydronie, Ruby, Vergenoegen, Tuschen, Tuschen South Side, Zeelugt and Cold Fusion. These clubs were invited to the official Biennial General Meeting (BGM) on Monday November 29, 2021 at 7pm but only Parika-Salem, Vergenoegen, Tuschen South Side and Zeelugt were present hence, there was no Quorum. Base on the constitution this meeting (BGM) has been rescheduled for Monday December 6, 2021 at the same time and venue and whoever is present shall form the quorum.
While I am the Chairman of the East Bank Essequibo Cricket Committee (EBECC), I am also the President (ag) of the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) with the recent passing of the president Fizul Bacchus.
The Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) has not been treated kindly by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB).
Notable forms of neglect are:
1. The ECB was not invited to the OGM in October 2021, only Berbice and Demerara were.
2. When the GCB was contacted for clarity as to whether the ECB could have held its OGM in October in light of the COVID-19 Task Force restrictions, no response was received.
3. Several Area Committees did not attend our OGM on Saturday November 20, 2021.We heard that they were advised not to attend for we may have wanted to hold elections… our elections are due in January 2022.
4. It is being rumoured that plans are afoot to disband the ECB and set up an Interim Management Committee (ICM).
5. The President/Vice President of the ECB is not being invited to the GCB Executive Meetings although it is a constitutional right.
6. It is being rumoured that the ECB cannot account for millions of dollars. All the GCB has to do is to engage the Auditor General, Mr. Deodat Sharma to pursue the allegations.
7. The ECB has not received any subvention from the GCB for the year 2021.
8. The GCB is communicating selectively with Area Committees and their members but not with the ECB.
The Guyana Cricket Board is integrally involved in the administrative manoeuvering in the various Area Committees, which would ultimately result in their desired outcome at the ECB elections in January 2022, so that they (GCB) can have influential control of the Board (ECB)… Cricket Politics at work.

Alvin Johnson

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