“WE want to use this opportunity to clarify some of the issues with regard to the Interim Management Committee (IMC), West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the Government of Guyana, when it comes to the game of cricket and its administration in Guyana.” Those were the words of Dr Frank Anthony, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) who was addressing a press briefing with regard to the ongoing saga between the embattled Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and the IMC which was set up to oversee and orchestrate the proper administration of cricket in Guyana.
“We were in discussions with the WICB and CARICOM Secretary General Irwin La Rocque, where a number of issues were raised for discussion, wherein the WICB and the Government of Guyana had certain positions, as we tried to fashion a solution whereby all involved would have been satisfied,” stated Dr Anthony.
Dr Anthony added, “ As we were doing so on the second day, there was a draft paper, which was not agreed to, being presented while we were still in discussion and unfortunately, the WICB team had to leave the country and were late for the airport, bringing a halt to the discussion.
“I noticed in the press, a circulation of a document which purports to be an agreement (when there is no agreement,) saying that we have breached same. How can we do so when there is no agreement?
The WICB later issued a statement saying that they requested of us, what are our concerns with regard to the agreement and they did not get any, while I can safely say that on January 27, I wrote on behalf of the Government’s team to the CARICOM Secretary General, pointing out to him parts of the working document that we felt were still objectionable to the Government.”
Dr Anthony said he informed the CARICOM Secretary General via the same letter, Government’s intention to continue discussions with the WICB with CARICOM being the facilitator, so they can reach an agreement or consensus on how to proceed.
“The Government was prepared to engage anyone, whether it is the WICB or the International Cricket Council (ICC), so that we can find resolutions to our problems, hence I don’t know how they (WICB) can issue a statement saying we have not responded when we did, which leaves me to say the ball is in their court, when again we meet.”
Dr Anthony mentioned the number of legal issues which surround what has been happening with Guyana’s cricket of late, while saying the establishment of the IMC followed a pronouncement from the High Court which says the GCB does not have a legal personality.
“The cricket is so important to our country, that we want to continue having the game here and we establish the IMC to ensure that this happens. There must not be a gap and we identified the numerous things that were wrong with our cricket.
“This did not happen overnight. We give the individuals who were involved in the numerous disputes, ample time to resolve the issues on their own and they were unable to do so and reluctantly, we got involved,” Dr Anthony said.
He proceeded to highlight some of the issues that existed within Cricket in Guyana, including several Constitutions that were being used at different times, saying there is a need for one Constitution, along with financial improprieties.
“If you have different Constitutions that are being used at different times, obviously there will be confusion, so we want to help by having one Constitution that everybody can recognise and because of that, the IMC will ensure there is one wherein all stakeholders will be given an opportunity to air their views as the IMC formulates the new Constitution.
Dr Anthony, who was flanked by Attorney General Anil Nandlall, MCYS Permanent Secretary Alfred King and Chairman of the IMC Clive Lloyd at the head table, said the issue of financial impropriety will be investigated by a firm, even if it has to be an overseas one, to avoid accusations of biasness that may be levelled against the Government.
He believes the cooperation of the individuals who were a part of the GCB prior to the formation of the IMC would allow a smooth flow of the investigation with regard to the accusations of financial impropriety, but was quick to say none was coming.
“We asked members of the former GCB to work along with us, with witnesses being present as we do an inventory of their items, but they refused to show up and open the door to facilitate us, hence we had no choice and knowing that we did not need anything in the office to be interfered with, we placed the padlocks on their door.
There is no way we can do the investigative work and not have the documents available to us to conduct same. As is evident around the world, members need to recluse themselves so the investigation can be done, but they refused to do so, even showing opposition to reclusion.”
Dr Anthony said that while the WICB was condoning the irregularities within the-then GCB, they should look to work with the IMC to eradicate the issues as quickly as possible, in the interest of cricket.
“Collaboration and cooperation can see the issues being resolved quickly and we can dispel with the matters of investigations as simple as that. We can resolve the issues, but cannot conduct an investigation in an uncontrolled environment and this was pointed out to the WICB.
“A proper investigation can be done; this is standard practice anywhere in the world. We have said to the concerned party, one of the things when we will be doing these investigations, reclusion is one of the conditions that we have to have.
“This convention that has been established over long periods of time that people deemed as fair, somehow in this current scenario that is happening, some people feel they must not recluse themselves and I will say that something got to be wrong since that is one of the conditions we have set out.
“How can we have fairness, transparency, accountability and a fair investigation, when persons refused to recluse themselves from the process and we placed that on the table, which resulted in persons having difficulties, with opposition coming from the former members of the GCB and the WICB,” said Dr Anthony.
The media present were briefed about the plans the IMC would like to put in place, including a Cricket Development Committee (CDC) which Lloyd later said was headed by Norman McLean, but Dr Anthony said same cannot be done, with a lot of individuals who have the expertise on cricket being denied the opportunity to assist with the development of cricket in Guyana.
He said no amount of threats or court orders will stop the IMC from correcting the problems plaguing Guyana’s cricket and they will continue to operate until their objectives are met.
“We have set a time limit (unlike some other countries,) in which the IMC must operate and we are working towards that, as we don’t wish to be in this thing forever, unlike other territories around the world where I understand in one country you have an IMC operating for six years.
“We want to fix the issues, have fresh elections and a functioning cricket board. We have also said based on the Court’s recommendation, the need for a legislation which will give the former GCB legal personality, to which the Government is willing to have done.
“From the interactions we have had with the opposition parties, my understanding is that they are in agreement with that which means we are not cross-purposing here, as all the Parliamentary parties from what I understand have agreed that we will go and get legislation which will benefit other sports associations.”
He added, “We have to work together to achieve this and when we formed the IMC, some members of the past GCB were invited to participate in the IMC. We were giving them positions on the IMC. In fact they would have held a majority when we composed the IMC, but some of them refused to participate but chose to obstruct and try to fix the things that have been affecting them.
“A very small amount of people were profiting from the irregularities in our cricket and we cannot allow that to continue any longer, so the IMC will continue to do its work. We have set a time frame and we are working towards that.”
Dr Anthony said no amount of threats or court orders will stop the IMC from executing their duties, as they seek to bring an end to the irregularities within Guyana’s cricket, doing so in a transparent way, while inviting those who are interested in having a firsthand look at the work being done, to do so freely and willingly, since the IMC is open to scrutiny.