By Rajiv Bisnauth

CRICKET legend, Sir Clive Lloyd, has made a passionate call to get on with the long-awaited Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) elections, saying it is the only way the body will be recognised as a legal body.
The former West Indies captain made his remarks during an appearance on Barbados radio programme, Mason and Guest, on Tuesday.
“I think we cannot hold people to ransom. We have youngsters; it’s their living, and it’s their livelihood. They want to play cricket and know that somebody will be there to speak up for them once they perform and I think Guyana’s got some good young cricketers and it’s about time all this nonsense is thrown aside and somebody, whoever it is, decides it’s time now for us to have elections,” the 76-year-old said.

The GCB election, which was set for noon last Friday, was postpomed after Cricket Ombudsman, Kamal Ramkarran, indicated that the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB), through its attorney, had raised some complaints with regard to verification of clubs.
“I find it very strange as I said very perplexing, but I hope good sense prevails and this will come to an end quite soon. You don’t have people waiting in the wings sort of thing for something to happen.
“I don’t understand the politics there at all. I just want to know it’s so important for people to be part of this cricket fraternity and it’s obvious the people should be able to say if you are needed or wanted. Let’s go to a vote and everybody could vote, and vote for whoever you want to and let’s get on with our cricket,” Lloyd stressed.
Lloyd, two-time World Cup winning captain added, “It’s perplexing I must say but the point is I feel Guyana needs to just get on with it. It’s 11 years since you had elections, you should have elections every three years, according to the Constitution and the Sports Act that was just passed.

“I find it difficult to understand you know who represents Guyana. I don’t understand that. First they said they are illegal, they can’t go to the main stadium, and they can’t go to meetings at the WICB (West Indies Cricket Board) so who represents Guyana? This team that was chosen, who chose that team?
“I find it very strange, the whole situation. I really think the Guyana guys should now put their big pants on and have elections and whoever wins, wins.
Lloyd further said the situation is somewhat embarrassing, since Guyana has produced talented players.

“Yes it is embarrassing for our country, our country and probably the whole world that we don’t have anybody representing a country that has produced quite a lot of top class cricketers over the years for West Indies and the rest of the world. The point is: now is the time for them to man up and do the business,” Lloyd concluded.
Back in 2011, Lloyd was appointed chairman of the Interim Management Committee (IMC), based on Chief Justice, Ian Chang’s ruling on August 22, 2010.
The IMC was instituted after the-then Guyana government locked the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) out of its office premises, following the disputed Guyana board elections in July 2011. The IMC was not recognised by the WICB (now Cricket West Indies).