By Fareeza Haniff
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon has confirmed that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has threatened to exclude Guyana’s Under 19 Team from the Regional Tournament.
Dr. Luncheon told reporters today (Thursday June 12), at a post cabinet media briefing that this threat was issued in a recent correspondence from the WICB to the Office of the President.
“The WICB really think they are untouchable,” the Cabinet Secretary said.
The WICB had moved the test match from Guyana between New Zealand and West Indies to Barbados, on the grounds that the country passed a ‘contentious’ Cricket Administration Bill.
According to Dr. Luncheon, the WICB is now trying to disassociate itself from any “attempt to belittle President Donald Ramotar, or show disrespect to him or the administration.”
He added, “Interestingly, in the same breath in the correspondence, the WICB issued further threats that if we don’t do what they say, the exclusion of the Under -19 team from the Regional Tournament is on their front burner.”
The Guyana government is now rallying the support of the Regional Heads to condemn the actions taken by the Dave Cameron led WICB. Dr. Luncheon noted that the issue will be heavily discussed at the Caricom Heads of Government meeting in July, where “President Ramotar will let loose on the WICB.”
The Cabinet Secretary told reporters that Guyana is still awaiting a report detailing the concerns of the WICB in relation to the Cricket Administration Bill.
“They [WICB] really think that regional governments exist to do their [WICB] bidding. That is bad for them, but even worse for regional cricket,” Dr Luncheon told the news conference.
This is high Class nonsense, whose interest are the Guyanese Director serving Guyana or the WICB. I am always a firm believer that Guyana should be out of the WI team and formed a separate team. These Caribbean jokers don’t see us as part of the WI team. He dare not take such a stance against any other Caribbean Nation. The Guyanese Director are like SOUP drinkers shame toward their nation. They are the type of guess that demanded what you place on the dinning table.