By Rajiv Bisnauth
Guyana’s Cricket Ombudsman, Attorney-at-Law Kamal Ramkarran has confirmed that elections of a legitimate Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) will be held at the Umana Yana, High Street, Kingston from noon on Friday. Ramkarran confirmed in a notice that County boards – Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo have until February 25 at 16:00hrs to submit their list of delegates to the Cricket Ombudsman at Lot 2 Avenue of the Republic office.
The announcement for the GCB’s election was made by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr. The Minister’s move stems from consultations with Cricket West Indies pursuant to the requirements of the Guyana Cricket Administration Act and on the heels of the Demerara Cricket Board elections which was held last Friday.

The Cricket Administration Act was restored to its original condition last September. It clearly state that 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. The role of the minister under the legislation will be only to appoint the Ombudsman and his role ceases.
The Act, as a previous article in Chronicle Sport had pointed out, also provides for better financial accountability with the cricket board being required to present timely audited financial reports to the National Assembly, as well as the National Sports Commission (NSC).

Meanwhile, Newly-elected Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) President, Bissoondyal Singh, has expressed his desire in running for the top post, but said a definitive decision will be made following consultations with stakeholders. “That [GCB Elections] is a going to be a transparent and democratic process; elections are a democratic process and we will see how it goes”, Singh said. Further Fizul Bacchus, who hold the post as the current GCB President told Chronicle Sport yesterday that he will confirm in the coming days his position as regards running for the GCB top post once more. The GCB has been embroiled in controversy for nearly a decade now. Elections have not been held since 2012 and only last month the persons holding themselves as executive members of the body were deemed illegal by the Guyana government.