Cricket West Indies (CWI) issued a statement Saturday in response to the concerns raised by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) regarding the validity of the election for the position of Vice President during the Annual General Meeting held on March 25, 2023.

In a letter dated October 4, 2023, the GCB had expressed doubts about the fairness and legality of the election process. They claimed that they had officially withdrawn their nomination of Mr. Azim Bassarath for the position of Vice President during the AGM. The GCB is demanding Bassarath’s resignation adding that if he fails to demit office they will seek legal recourse.

CWI, in its statement, affirmed its confidence in the fairness and transparency of the election process, asserting that it had been conducted with utmost regard for the rights, views, and opinions of all stakeholders of CWI Inc. Furthermore, CWI highlighted that after the conclusion of the election, the elected Vice President had received congratulations and unwavering support from all shareholder members.

The Board of Cricket West Indies emphasized that they had thoroughly examined the concerns raised by the GCB and affirmed that the election for the Vice President position had been carried out in strict accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the organization. They reiterated their commitment to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and transparency in all their operations, including elections.

Despite the ongoing dispute, CWI expressed its dedication to finding an amicable resolution to the matter, stressing the importance of unity among shareholders and the cricketing community at large. The Board implored the members of the GCB to prioritize the interests of cricket above all else.

CWI remains steadfast in its mission to promote and develop the sport in the region and hopes that all parties involved can come together to resolve this matter promptly and harmoniously.

The GCB had previously sent a letter to CWI President Kishore Shallow, asserting that the process leading to Bassarath's appointment as Vice President was "flawed and illegal" in their opinion. They claimed to have withdrawn their nomination of Mr. Azim Bassarath for the post of Vice President during the AGM.

In a virtual meeting held at CWI's request on September 21, the GCB reiterated their stance on Bassarath's appointment, asserting that he was "illegally occupying the position" and should step down to facilitate a new and legal process. The GCB had expressed their dissatisfaction with the outcome of that meeting.

In their recent letter dated October 4, the GCB made it clear that they had "unanimously decided to demand the resignation" of Bassarath and indicated that non-compliance within 14 days would result in "legal recourse."

 

Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago are to participate on a bilateral regional U13 cricket tournament set to run from December 10-17, 2022, the Guyana Cricket Board has announced.

According to the GCB, the tournament to be held in Guyana complements Cricket West Indies’ plans of two-year incremental development programs.

Consequently, it is expected that the Under-13 players will be adequately exposed to competitive cricket which is hoped will facilitate their growth and development for future GCB’s two-year incremental development programs such as the National Under-15, Under-17, and Under-19 training programmes.

The GCB has established structured cricket development programmes for their Under-11, Under-15, Under-17, Under-19, and Senior levels.

The Under-11s are being prepared through the Republic Bank Five for Fun Cricket Development programme.

Additionally, the GCB and Republic Bank are in the planning stages of initiating a national Under-23 Inter-Club Tournament.

President of the GCB Bissoondyal Singh expressed delight at being able to positively engage the President of the TTCB Azim Bassarath.

“Both territorial boards are keen on exposing our future professional cricketers at an early age to the highest competitive standards possible. We recognize the need for children to develop their art, bowling, batting, and fielding in a fun-related manner,” he said.

“However, we strongly believe that players in the Under-13 age group can begin to challenge their minds a bit more than is currently being done. Learning cricket techniques is good but executing the respective skills in competitive environments will set the players on a greater path to success.”

President Singh added that the U13 initiative paves the way for a regional Under-13 tournament.

“We believe in promoting the training aspects of cricket so that players can inculcate the recommended practices for the game as well as a person,” he said.

“Our planned cricket academy which will cater to the needs of players ages seven to 17, is geared at making our players rounded cricketers. In addition to technical and skill development, our academy focuses on areas of cricket laws, scoring, match referee and umpire duties and etiquette including personal communication, interviewing as a priority activity, and psychology.”

Wicket-keeper Anthony Bramble smashed a century to help Berbice secure a sizeable 189 run win over Demerara in the Guyana Cricket Board’s Senior Inter-County 50-over championship on Monday.

Watched by a fair-sized crowd at Bourda, Berbice won the toss and opted to bat first in a game reduced to 45 overs due to early morning rain.

It proved to be a good call by captain Veerasammy Permaul, as Berbice proceeded to dominate the Demerara bowling attack.

Bramble and 19-year-old debutant Rampertab Ramnauth set the tone for the innings with a 91-run opening partnership in 14 overs. Ramnauth made 36 off 50 balls (4x4s).

Bramble and West Indies left-hander Shimron Hetmyer then proceeded to put the game beyond Demerara, adding 105 for the second wicket in just 12.4 overs.

Demerara found some relief when Bramble was trapped leg before for 106 off 83 (14x4s, 2x6s), and Hetmyer was dismissed shortly after for 58 off 46 (2x4s, 3x6s) at 230-3 in the 32nd over, but that only opened the floodgates as Jonathan Foo and Romario Shepherd went into T20 mode.

The pair racked up 88 in 8.4 overs for the fourth wicket to deny Demerara any chance of making a fightback. Shepherd hit two fours and four sixes in a whirlwind 40 off 28 balls, and Foo slammed 71 off 45 (5x4s, 4x6s).

Kevin Sinclair chipped in at the end with 15 not out off nine balls, as Ronaldo Ali-Mohamed took 3-66 off his nine overs.

Faced with a stiff target against a potent bowling attack, Demerara slipped to 6-2 with Chandrapaul Hemraj and Tevin Imlach both falling for two.

Opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul and skipper Leon Johnson put on 85 for the third wicket, but once both were dismissed and Christopher Barnwell soon followed, the damage was done.

Johnson top-scored with 51 off 47 (7x4s, 1×6), Chanderpaul made 39 off 50 (4x4s, 1×6) and Akshyana Persaud scored 37 off 25 (1×4, 4x6s) as Demerara folded to Berbice’s spin-heavy bowling attack.

The hosts were eventually dismissed for 174 in 29.3 overs with left-arm spinner Permaul taking 3-30, off-spinner Kevin Sinclair 3-42 and left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie 2-32.

Summary: Berbice 365-6 from 45 overs (Anthony Bramble 106, Jonathan Foo 71, Shimron Hetmyer 58, Romario Shepherd 40, Rampertab Ramnauth 36; Ronaldo Ali-Mohamed 3-66) vs Demerara 174 all out from 29.3 overs (Leon Johnson 51, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 39, Akshaya Persaud 37; Veerasammy Permaul 3-30, Kevin Sinclair 3-42, Gudakesh Motie 2-32)

Meanwhile at Everest, a century from Kemol Savory and 92 not out from Kevon Boodie helped Essequibo secured an eight-wicket victory over the GCB President’s XI.

The President’s XI batted first and recovered well from being 90-5 to post 237-8, thanks to some lower-order batting from Shamar Joseph and Kwesi Mickle.

Joseph made a top-score of 67 not out off 47 balls including seven fours and three sixes while Mickle played second fiddle with 40 off 86 (1×4, 2x6s). Suresh Dhanai chipped in with 30 off 26 (4x4s, 1×6) and opener Matthew Nandu made 27 off 34 (3x4s).

Bowling for Essequibo, left-arm spinner Anthony Adams was excellent with figures 3-14 off 10 overs, including 52 dot balls, while Ricardo Adams took 2-40 off 10.

The good recovery by the President’s XI when they batted meant Essequibo had a larger target than they initially anticipated, but any nerves were quelled by Savory and Boodie's crucial second-wicket partnership.

After the early loss of Nathan Persaud for 11, Savory and Boodie dominated the President’s XI bowling attack in a partnership of 163.

Boodie, the aggressor, smashed 11 fours and two sixes from his 102 deliveries.

Once he departed, Savory took centre stage, coasting to a magnificent hundred and sealing the victory.

His unbeaten 108 spanned 106 balls and included eight fours and three sixes. Keyron Fraser and Akini Adams were the wicket-takers for the President’s XI.

Summary: GCB President’s XI 237-8 from 50 overs (Shamar Joseph 67*, Kwesi Mickle 40, Suresh Dhanai 38, Matthew Nandu 27; Anthony Adams 3-14, Ricardo Adams 2-40) vs Essequibo 240-2 from 41.3 overs (Kemol Savory 108*, Kevon Boodie 92, Keyron Fraser 1-19, Akini Adams 1-40)

The second round of the competition will take place on Wednesday with Berbice playing Essequibo at the GCC ground, Bourda, and Demerara up against the President’s XI at Everest.

 

Leon Johnson will lead a 15-man squad that the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has named for the first and second rounds of the West Indies Championship 2022.

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) in collaboration with Cricket West Indies (CWI) is to conduct a series of coaching certification courses across the three counties of Guyana starting in March. The cricket boards of all three counties are currently in the process of identifying and registering potential candidates.

The Essequibo Cricket Board, Demerara Cricket Board and Berbice Cricket Board have each given an undertaking to register a minimum of 16 potential participants.

Representatives of all three counties met with CWI Coach Development Manager Chris Brabazon on Thursday, January 20, to discuss the roll-out of the coaching education courses.

For beginners, the first step in the coaching education certification program will be their participation in the now online CWI Foundation Coaching Course.

Individuals holding CWI Foundation Coaching Certificates and/or licenses interested in the CWI Level One Coaching Certification Course must ensure that they have the prerequisites before registering for the course in March.

These prerequisites are CWI Foundation Coaching Certificate or its equivalent, Child Protection Certificate, First Aid Certificate and Police Clearance. 

GCB’s President Bissoondyal Singh has indicated that teachers and other individuals desirous of participating in the CWI Foundation and Level One Coaching Courses are encouraged to make contact with their respective county boards to explore the possibilities of registration for the series of planned courses.

Further, he suggested that CWI Level One Certified coaches are also encouraged to register their interest with their respective county boards in participating in the CWI Level Two Coaching Course.

 

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has written to Cricket West Indies requesting a copy of the criteria used to award international retainer contracts and the report submitted by the selection panel on which the decision was made not to award international retainer contracts to Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul and Romario Shepherd as well as Veerasammy Permaul.

The missive to the CWI comes on the heels of the recent announcement by CWI of 18 players who were offered retainer contracts for the year July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022. Among those who were awarded were newcomers Kyle Mayers, Joshua Da Silva and Nkrumah Bonner, who had standout performances against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

However, there were no contracts for the four Guyanese players, a troubling development for the GCB.

 “The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) notes with great concern the information that Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul and Romario Shepherd were not awarded International Retainer Contracts by the Cricket West Indies (CWI),” the board said in a statement Friday.

“The GCB is also concerned with the non-award of an International Retainer Contract to Veerasammy Permaul.”

The GCB said it is not aware and was not informed of the criteria used for the award of international retainer contracts nor were any reasons given for the non-award contracts to the four players.

“The non-award of International Retainer Contracts to these players by CWI is a matter of extreme concern to the GCB and to the Guyanese public and the GCB intends to fully investigate this matter,” the GCB said.

Former West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan has been appointed to lead the senior selection panel of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB). His appointment is one several made at a meeting of the newly elected board on Saturday night.

At the meeting, which was the second held since the March 29 elections, and chaired by President B Bissoondyal Singh, several sub-committees were established for senior selection, junior selection as well as for cricket development, finance and public relations.

Sarwan will head the senior panel while Andre Percival, the most successful youth captain in the West Indies, will head the junior selection panel. Vice President Hilbert Foster will lead cricket development, Claude Raphael, the Public Relations Committee while Acting Treasurer Dr Cecil Beharry, heads up the Finance Committee.

Also arising from the meeting was the GCB decision to make available several positions on the different committees for the Essequibo Cricket Board.

 

The Guyana cricket fraternity is in mourning following the death of Guyana Cricket Board and Demerara Cricket Board treasurer Pretipaul Jaigobin. Jaigobin perished in a motor vehicle accident on April 1.

According to a statement from the GCB, Pretipaul, an economic and financial analyst of the European Union Task Force Unit in Guyana’s Ministry of Finance, was travelling from Mahdia to the ministry when the accident occurred.

 Jai, as he was popularly known, was well-liked and respected. His congeniality, humility and sense of humour endeared him to many,” the GCB said in its statement.

“Pretipaul had been an active and trusted cricket administrator for over 20 years with a vast knowledge of the game, especially in relation to cricket records and statistics. His contributions to the deliberations and decisions at cricket meetings especially on financial issues and effective governance were invaluable.

“Jai had a special affinity for youth cricket. His professional approach helped in the stimulation of affirmative action in cricket administration.  He was constantly looking at ways to improve the accounting and marketing procedures.” 

From 2009-2011 Jaigobin served the GCB as the assistant treasurer during the period 2009 to 2011.

In February of this year, he was elected treasurer of the DCB at the court-supervised elections of that board.  On March 29, 2021, he was elected Treasurer of the GCB at the elections convened by the Cricket Ombudsman in accordance with the Guyana Cricket Administration Act, No. 14 of 2014.  

“Pretipaul’s passing is a tremendous loss to the wider cricket fraternity.  It is with heartfelt grief that the Executives of the GCB and the DCB and the staff members extend sincere sympathy to his family, relatives and friends,” the GCB said.

 

The Guyana Cricket Board elections scheduled for today have been postponed keeping the hopes of Guyana Cricket Board Secretary Anand Sanasie's hopes alive of challenging incumbent Ricky Skerritt for the presidency of Cricket West Indies. 

Should the current board be swept from power, it would delegitimize Sanasie's run for the presidency.

According to reports emerging from Guyana, the elections, the first in more than a decade, was put off after reported mounting pressure to have it delayed, according to cricket commentator and talk show host Andrew Mason, who reported early this morning that there was an attempt at the highest level to stop the elections.

He reported that a lot of pressure was being put on the counties that would have been voting and that the Minister of Sport in Guyana Charles Ramson Jr was to meet with the president of Guyana on the matter.

A later report just after midday Jamaica time, said that the elections would not be held.

“The Ombudsman turned up just before 1 ‘0’ clock and said as the result of an email he received last night (Thursday) the elections could not be held today."

This was due mainly to the no show of the Essequibo Cricket Board, one of three counties that would have been voting in the elections.

“The Essequibo board said it was simply not ready,” according to Mason, who added that the boards of Berbice and Demerara are upset about the development.

Earlier this week, lawyers for Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Secretary Anand Sanasie wrote to Guyana’s Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Charles Ramson Jr and Attorney Kamal Ramkarran, objecting to the appointment of both a cricket Ombudsman as well as the seven-day time period given for the staging of elections, claiming they were illegal under the Guyana Cricket Administration Act.

In response, Ramson Jr said he was on firm legal ground and well within the powers of the Guyana Cricket Administration Act.

 

 

Prominent Guyana attorney Arudranauth Gossai has cast doubts any injunction put forward to prevent the staging of the Guyana Cricket Board elections on Friday will succeed, as he does not believe the objections to be ground on a firm legal footing.

Earlier this week, lawyers for Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Secretary Anand Sanasie wrote sharply worded letters to Guyana Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Charles Ramson Jr and Attorney Kamal Ramkarran, objecting to the appointment of both a cricket Ombudsman and the 7-day time period given for the staging of elections as illegal under the Guyana Cricket Administration Act.

The attorneys had given the minister until Tuesday to withdraw the appointment or that legal action could be taken to quash the appointment.  The letters further asserted that close relations with Cricket West Indies president Ricky Skerritt had tainted the overall decision.

In response, Ramson Jr flatly rejected all the assertions made by Sanasie’s attorneys and insisted that he was on firm legal ground and well within the powers of the Guyana Cricket Administration Act.

“While it must be stated at the outset that since the restoration of the provisions of the Guyana Cricket Administration Act 2014 and pursuant to Order of Court by Justice Fidela Corbin in Berbice Cricket Board v Fizul Bacchus et al dated 3rd April 2019 in Action number 2018-HC-DEM-CIV-FDA-1200, the capacity in which your client purports to instruct you is not recognized, paragraph two is denied and your position on the issue is incorrect as it is res judicata (see Judgement of Fidela Corbin dated 3rd April 2019 in SAYWACK V LEWIS in Action number 2018-HC-DEM-CIV-FDA-808),” the minister wrote in response.

“The Guyana Cricket Administration Act 2014, the subject Minister is entitled, empowered, and obliged to appoint the Cricket Ombudsman and the date for the first election of the Guyana Cricket Board until completed. I fraternally take the liberty to direct your attention to paras 15, 26, and 27 of the judgment.”

Gossai, who has been closely aligned to the issue as a legal representative of the Berbice Cricket Board (BC), agrees the minister is within his rights.

“In order to get an injunction you have to show that your claim is going to succeed.  I see some letters circulating in the press purportedly from Mr Sanasie’s lawyers to the minister to the president of Cricket West Indies and the Ombudsman and based on those things in the letter if those are the grounds then they are bound to fail,” Gossai told the Mason and Guest radio program.

“One of the things they are saying is that the minister cannot appoint another Ombudsman because he has already appointed an Ombudsman and that person has resigned.  But strangely enough, I notice in that letter that there is no mention of Sanasie when he was quote and quote secretary of the cricket board Mr (Dave) Cameron had consulted with the minister and appointed another Ombudsman.  For some strange reason, it might have been an oversight but that was left out of the correspondence.”

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