[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Government of Guyana has noted with “deep regret” the decision of the West Indies Cricket Board to relocate the Third Test between West Indies and New Zealand, from Guyana.
In a statement issued last evening, the Sport Ministry noted that the WICB acted in an arrogant manner.
On Saturday, the WICB said that it decided to relocate the match after talks broke down between the WICB and the Guyana government in relation to matters pertaining to the Cricket Administration Bill.
However, the Sport Ministry is giving a different version of what took place. In its statement, it was revealed that the President of the WICB, Dave Cameron did not give the government a chance to arrive at a compromise.
According to the Ministry, on May 30, at about 4.35pm, Cameron wrote President Donald Ramotar, raising certain concerns in respect of the Bill.
“In that letter, Mr. Cameron requested an opportunity to study the Bill and the Constitution, in order to be able to provide more detailed comments at a later stage. In the interim, he requested that the President not assent to the Bill until there is agreement in relation to the matters raised. The letter requested a response by 6 pm that day.”
According to the Ministry, “At or about 6:22pm that day, the Honourable Minister of Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, responded. In a covering e-mail, the Minister explained that the President was out of Georgetown and that he was duly instructed to respond on the President’s behalf.
In Dr Anthony’s response, he asked the WICB President to detail his concerns about the Bill, after which it will be examined and a compromise can be met in a manner that will serve the best interest of cricket.
“At 6.54 pm, the Minister received an e-mail from Mr. Cameron, indicating that the response was “unacceptable” and that the response which he requires must be done under the Seal of the President. The email then informs that WICB will proceed with its decision to move the match.”
The Guyana government believes that the statement issued by the WICB was clearly structured to convey a very jaundiced impression of their exchanges with the Government on this matter.
“The Government of Guyana does not discount the fact that the West Indies Cricket Board maybe looking for a scapegoat in this matter, since their agents in Guyana were restraint by a Court Order from acting or holding themselves out as officers of the Guyana Cricket Board and as agents of the WICB. The net result being that WICB has no agents in Guyana to act on their behalf in relation to hosting of the Third Test between West Indies and New Zealand.”
The government believes that the Cricket Administration Billseeks to bring transparency, accountability, and good governance to the administration of cricket in Guyana and to address the plethora of allegations of rigged and fraudulent elections, financial irregularities and lack of accountability in respect of cricket administration, inter alia, because of the absence of legal personification in its structure.
“This Bill does not, in any way whatsoever, allow or permit, directly or indirectly, Government’s involvement in the administration of cricket in Guyana, save and except a singular instance, where the Minister is ascribed a function when the Act comes into operation. After that initiating act, the Minister’s role disappears.”
The government rejected all or any contention or insinuation that this Bill presents an opportunity for Governmental intrusion into the administration of cricket in Guyana.
if there were so many problems as the minister stated with the GCB would it not have been better to seek the intervention WICB.
any scape goat is the Govt. themselves since in order to installed friends of Mr Jadgeo they went about dismantling and installing hoping the WICB should Clive Lloyd be voted as it President will approve.
sorry Mr Minister you played the wrong hand, the rules are set out by the WICB which all affiliated clubs are required to follow, and not the other way around.
NEXT IT IS FOOTBALL.