Directors of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) are scheduled to meet this weekend in St Lucia, where the state of affairs regarding the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) will be one of the key items on the agenda.
This followed the government’s decision to appoint an interim management committee to displace the current executive and take over running the day-to-day affairs of the GCB.
Insiders said that the WICB was likely to give its full support to the current GCB executive and reiterate the new International Cricket Council policy urging international boards and their constituent members to resist government control of their affairs.
The Guyana government stepped in to take control of the GCB following a ruling by Chief Justice Ian Chang after the legitimacy of the current executive was legally challenged.
Media reports indicated that this, however, now places the game in Guyana in jeopardy, since the WICB may have no other choice but to impose a sanction – inclusive of a ban – in keeping with international norms.
Alternatively, the WICB may give officials in Georgetown time to settle the issues, allowing the situation to return to normal before imposing any sanction.
The GCB on Wednesday moved to stem the government takeover, taking their case to the High Court to nullify the decision of Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony.
Media reports indicated that former GCB president Chetram Singh and the current president of the Georgetown Cricket Club, Lionel Jaikarran, as trustees of the GCB, filed a court order seeking to overturn Anthony’s decision.
The court order stated that Anthony’s decision was “unlawful, ultra vires, capricious, contrary to and devoid of legal foundation, without lawful authority and arbitrary”.
“I will have much more information soon, but I know that our lawyers are dealing with it and it’s something that we will ensure engage the attention of the WICB,” GCB secretary Anand Sanasie told the Kaieteur News daily.
“There are a lot of broader issues here and I will have more information [to share] later this week.
“The GCB, as it exists under the presidency of Ramsey Ali, is the only authorised body to run cricket in Guyana.” (CMC)
