– pleads for a chance to move cricket forward

SUNDAY’s presidential elections of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) were conducted in a free, fair and transparent environment, according to president-elect Dhirendranauth Somwaru.
Somwaru made the disclosure yesterday during an exclusive interview, saying that there were no signs of manipulation, despite complaints and widespread criticism from a majority of the cricket stakeholders in that county, who have rejected the results, saying the elections were rigged.
“The elections were free, fair and transparent, so I would ignore all the criticisms,” the 64-year-old said.

He added “It you take on everything that people say about you or the elections, then you will get sicker than I am, so I just ignore everything. This is a democratic country, and people have the right to say what they want, once they are not libelous”.
The BCB’s electoral process and results have now engage the attention of the courts, so the cricket problems in the Ancient County is nowhere close to being resolved.
However, Somwaru is of the opinion that court actions will not help the development of the game, and as such, is calling on cricket stakeholders to work together to resolve the existing differences.
“We want cricket to go on, we want cricket to be played, so how will cricket move on if we are not allowed to function.

Give us (BCB executives) a chance, and if we are not doing well then kick us out, I would agree with that, but give us a chance,” Somwaru pleaded.
Further, Somwaru is appalled by the comments made by secretary of the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association, Winston Roberts, who said on Tuesday that he did not accept the position of vice-president as was reported in the media.
Roberts stated that he cannot accept any position on the present administration because the process to elect them in his mind was flawed and not in any form democratic.
He further mentioned that he never agreed to accept any position and was not even aware that he was nominated, as he and the rest of the Upper Corentyne delegation had refused to be a part of the elections.
However, Somwaru pointed out that Roberts was indeed consulted on the position prior to the elections.

“I met him (Roberts) personally, with Vickram Seubarran and Leslie Solomon, and I ask him if he is willing to accept the vice-president position…he didn’t say no.
I even spoke to Mr. Dennis DeAndread, president of the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association what I had in mind once we won the elections, is for the vice-presidents position to stretch out in Berbice, Upper Corentyne, Central Corentyne and West Berbice. I would also like a selector from Upper Corentyne,” Somwaru pointed out.
Meanwhile, Chronicle Sport understands that stakeholders from the Berbice cricket fraternity, have filed two separate court orders following Sunday’s contentious elections.
Information reaching Chronicle Sport indicates that an injunction was filed yesterday against the current board, preventing those officials from performing their duties until the application to set aside the elections is heard and determined.
A second application of contempt was filed on Tuesday against Somwaru, Godwyn Allicock and secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board, Anand Sanasie.