… Bacchus given indefinite suspension
HAVING earlier claimed allegiance to the now defunct Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), the Sheik Asif Ahmad-led Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) yesterday publicly confirmed their allegiance to the Clive Lloyd-led Interim Management Committee (IMC). Speaking at a press conference held at the Windjammer Hotel, Ahmad, who was accompanied by his Secretary Otto ‘Brian’ Christiani told those gathered including Lloyd and former vice-president of the GCB Bissoondyal Singh, that Faizul Bacchus a vice-president of the ECB has been given an indefinite suspension.
“The Essequibo Cricket Board is very happy to be a part of the Interim Management Committee in Guyana which was set up by the Government of Guyana to manage cricket affairs in Guyana in this very difficult time of cricket.
“I want to state very clearly at the start, the Essequibo decision was based on a consensus by the members of the executives and area boards of Essequibo Cricket Board, based on a principle that Guyana needed a solution to this problem,” said Ahmad.
A former treasurer of the GCB who served under the stewardship of Chetram Singh, Ahmad said a meeting was held with Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony earlier this year, where they brought the Minister up to date with their decision.
“We had a meeting with both Minister Frank Anthony and the Honourable Clive Lloyd. We met and put forward our position that we want to come on board, naming our representatives on the IMC in the process.”
He added, “As far as I am concerned, we are working fully with the IMC in terms of cricket in Guyana. We recognise no other authority in terms of cricket administration in this country but the IMC and we wish to say our decision was based on our own conscience.
“No one forced or intimidated us to be a part of this process. We came and bought into this process, because we saw it as a solution to the crisis that is facing Guyana’s cricket and we are going to fully cooperate with the IMC and the Government of Guyana to solve this cricket issue in Guyana.”
As it relates to the recently formed DEB Company in which the assets of the now defunct GCB has been transferred, Ahmad said the ECB was unaware of such an occurrence as they did not give the go-ahead to same and will be looking to work out the restoration of the GCB’s assets with the Government.
“We are even looking to do everything that Essequibo can do, including assisting in every possible way, whether it is on the field or off the field; we are supporting the IMC 100%. We are also aware of the fact that the ECB was caught up with the DEB situation.
We want to let the general public know that we are working on a process to relief ourselves of this company and to assist the Government in acquiring the assets of the Guyana Cricket Board. We are moving towards that, as cricket is everybody’s business and we don’t wish to punish the young players out there or be a part of the process that impedes the development of the game in this country,” Ahmad stated.
According to Ahmad, the ECB believes the IMC, of which it has become a part with its representatives being Christiani and Anthony Murray (IMC General), Marvin Pearson (Finance Committee) and Elroy Stephney (Development Committee), is best for the problems facing Guyana with regard to cricket at the moment.
Referring to Bacchus’ suspension, the ECB head said his body met last week and unanimously agreed to impose the penalty on the vice-president indefinitely, pending disciplinary hearing with regard to his abuse of office.
“Bacchus signed as vice-president of the ECB, causing us to be a shareholder with the GCB and he had no authority to do so on our behalf, but yet still he went ahead and did so and based on all this actions, the ECB has decided that he is not acting in the best interest of Essequibo’s cricket and at our last meeting held last Friday, decided to suspend him” said Ahmad.
He added, “Our decision to work along with the IMC (albeit a late one,) was taken in the best interest of Guyana and the cricketers of Guyana and all the supporters and fans of Guyana’s cricket. Added to that, we felt that if there is one voice going to the West Indies Cricket Board on this issue, it would solve this problem.
“We felt that if we go as a collaborative effort and petition the West Indies Cricket Board, saying that 95% of the stakeholders of Guyana’s cricket need an administrative makeover of the GCB and we are restructuring, we believe that it will be done and that’s why we are going with the IMC.”
Meanwhile, the 67-year-old Lloyd, who recently laid his daughter to rest in the United States last week, said the ECB coming on board with the IMC is an important move as altogether, close to 95% of stakeholders of Guyana’s cricket are on board.
“Even though I was away due to the death of my daughter, I was kept up to date by the core group of the IMC and today to me could be a landmark situation in the sense that the Essequibo Cricket Board is now pledging its support to the IMC and to me that is a very important move.
“As you are aware, we have made a lot of progress in the past couple of months, where we had consultations with stakeholders in the three counties where a lot came out of that, but today’s pledge by the ECB is heartening,” said Lloyd.
The former West Indies skipper who was known as the ‘Super Cat’ during his playing days where he aggregated 7 515 runs inclusive of 19 centuries with a top score of 242 not out against India from 110 Test matches where he averaged of 46.67, lauded the ECB for the bold move.
“We wholeheartedly embrace the Essequibo Cricket Board within the IMC and I sincerely hope that our cricket as of today will continue to blossom, as that is the important thing here. We want our cricket to be on a better footing and I am sure that after all that was done in the past, we are hoping to have a constitution and a cricket development plan, as we look to have a strong foundation for the future.”
In his brief remarks, Singh, like Lloyd, commended the ECB for examining the position and reaching a consensus when it comes to Guyana’s cricket, adding that it is heartening to hear they are working to restore the assets of the now defunct GCB which were transferred.
“As the Chairman said, the members sitting at the head table today, represents 95% of the stakeholders of Guyana’s cricket. The public should take note that any other group saying that they are anti-IMC will certainly be a minority.
It must be recorded that the aims and objectives of the IMC are really good and I wish to congratulate the ECB. What is also heartening is that they are willing to work along with the Government and the IMC to bring back the assets of the GCB from the DEB, to where it belongs and that is another commendable act by the ECB,” stated Singh.
Former president of the Berbice Cricket Board, Malcolm Peters, along with president of the Georgetown Cricket Association Roger Harper also applauded the ECB for getting on board with the IMC, with Peters saying both the BCB and ECB have always worked together in times past.
“We are one family. But as is customary in every family, we had differences in time, but we would disagree to agree and I am happy to know today that Essequibo has come back to Berbice and together we will work with the IMC. If this had not occurred, cricket in Guyana would have remained in the crisis it found itself embattled in over the last two years and I wish to say congratulations to Essequibo,” said Peters.
Harper said his Association’s policy is to put cricket first and with that in mind, they had no objection to publicly expressing their support or even joining forces with the IMC, especially with the turbulent times Guyana’s cricket was experiencing before.