Ramson ‘doubles down’ on ministry not recognising current GCB
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr

… GCB cries ‘political interference’ in cricket

THERE seems to be another battle brewing between the Government of Guyana and Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) as the body that was called ‘illegitimate’ by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, is now citing ‘political motives’ behind the calling for elections and other matters relative to cricket administration.
“As a consequence, GCB finds it disheartening that there once again appears to be political interference in the administration of cricket in Guyana, albeit that this time the interference seems to be ignited by Minister Charles Ramson Jr,” the GCB said.

Secretary of Guyana Cricket Board, Anand Sanasie

GCB, in a release yesterday, said the board has “consistently objected to various aspects of the Cricket Administration Act based on strong and valid arguments.”
Ramson had told Chronicle Sport that he will not be engaging the current GCB on matters relating to the game, calling the body ‘illegitimate’.
The minister ‘doubled down’ on his position again yesterday, in a statement to the public, where he advised that “since the restoration of the provisions of the Guyana Cricket Administration Act in October 2020, the ministry does not recognise this body as the legitimate Guyana Cricket Board until there is full compliance with the Act.”
“While the ministry has been engaging with and assisting many sports associations, clubs, community centres and sportsmen and sportswomen over the last five months, the ministry has disengaged with the body which purports to call itself the ‘Guyana Cricket Board’ and will have no further engagement with this body until there is full compliance with the Act,” Minister Ramson stated.

The minister further noted, “The ministry is awaiting an Order from the Court of Appeal in a few weeks for a date for the Demerara Cricket Board election so that there can be an election for the legitimate Guyana Cricket Board immediately thereafter.” For years, GCB and Government have had their share of ‘battles at the crease’ over the proper functioning of the ‘gentleman’s game’ in

The Ministry of Sport is awaiting an Order from the Court of Appeal in a few weeks for a date to hold the Demerara Cricket Board election.

the Land of Many Waters. In 2014, the Cricket Administration Act, presented by former Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony (now Minister of Health), which was unanimously supported in Parliament, sought to firstly make it legal for GCB to be established as a corporate body comprising the Demerara, Essequibo and the Berbice cricket boards, all of which will also be made corporate entities.

However, a series of court orders and action by both GCB and Government of Guyana, finally came to an end, somewhat, last September following a ruling in an Appellate Court, which paved the way for the restoration of the Cricket Administration Act. Nevertheless, GCB said “it must be recognised that GCB’s challenge to the Cricket Administration Act remains to be heard”.
GCB vehemently believes that once the same challenge is heard, “the GCB-presented arguments will be unabatedly upheld. This apart, GCB does not wish to comment at this time on particulars relating to the court matters, since such matters are sub judice.”

REVISION OF THE ACT
Looking ahead, it seems as though GCB and Minister Ramson may be on the same page when it comes to the revision of the Act.
GCB believes “that the Cricket Administration Act needs to be revisited to clearly avoid government interference and other controversial clauses” – something Minister Ramson had told Chronicle Sport in an exclusive interview last September. Minister Ramson, at that time, had told this publication that given the time the Act would have taken to be functional, he believes that it should be revised, taking into consideration the evolution of cricket and the administering of the sport over the last six years.

“At some point, we all will have to review the Cricket Administration Act because it hasn’t been in operation over the last few years,” Minister Ramson reasoned, while also noting, “You’ve had the suspension of the provisions just a couple of years ago, which is something not only prescribes to have the Act functioning and for persons to have the ability to assess it. The fact that it was done by a Court Order, is something that is irregular.” Based on the Act, the first elections of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) by law should be called by the Minister of Sport in consultation with the West Indies Cricket Board (now Cricket West Indies). A section of the Act also addressed the issue of phantom voting for the election of persons for administrative positions and at the same time will give limited power to the Minister of Sport. Ramson’s role in the Act ceases after the appointment of the Ombudsman.

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