TORONTO, Canada – All six executive members of the Canadian Cricketers Umpires Association (CCUA) remained intact when the entity’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) took place on Sunday via Zoom.

Based on the CCUA’s constitution, only three places were up for grabs, that of Vice-president, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer and Certification Officer. Bisham Singh, Frederick Halley and Matthew Francis all retained their respective positions unopposed with Public Relations Officer (PRO) also being added to Halley’s previous portfolio.

Popular businessman Albert Ramcharran (President), Secretary Azad Khan and Treasurer Vish Jadunauth continue to serve in their respective designations which were secured at least for another year based on the constitution.

The CCUA is gearing up for what is expected to be a shortened 2021 cricket season which is likely to get underway by mid-July following a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The body previously held six weeks of seminars, which saw West Indies Cricket Umpires Association (WICUA) Training Chairman Peter Nero conducting classes, ably assisted by its Secretary Vivian Johnson. Certification Officer Francis and Secretary Khan were the coordinators.

The Guyana-born Ramcharran, who was also the past president of both the disbanded Scarborough Cricket Umpires Association (SCUA) and the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL), in his presidential report, stressed that last year was indeed a trying one for the CCUA like it was for most associations involved in the organization of sports, not only in Canada but worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic, he pointed out, had a telling effect on all sports and continues to do so.

Ramcharran reminded that annual training seminars for 2020 were limited to a mere two indoor sessions, while all exams for last year were also affected. These include both at local and WICUA levels. He expressed sincere thanks to the two senior functionaries from the WICUA “for doing a fantastic job during the well-conducted sessions and also to the CCUA Education Chairman, Francis, and Secretary, Khan, for their initiatives in acquiring the services of the two gentlemen.”

Special thanks were also extended to Terry Mathura for his major role in organising and hosting the meetings via Zoom at no cost to the association.
Ramcharran said the sessions were very well attended with an average of 55 persons participating and “while we were again unable to hold exams, we are anticipating that these may be possible before the end of the year, depending on several health-related factors.”

The president also praised the efforts of several members who contributed financially to the St Vincent Cricket Umpires Association whose members were severely affected by the volcano eruption in their island.

Ramcharran once again urged members to exercise caution and take proper precautions to safeguard themselves whenever the season gets going and also implore them to get vaccinated, while stressing the decision to do so rests solely with them.

The CCUA is affiliated to the WICUA which also includes members from Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, United States and Windward Islands.