Attorney General Basil Williams and Minister of Education (ag) Nicolette Henry met with representatives of the Guyana Cricket Board and Cricket Stakeholders to shed light on a recent court order that could pave the way for possible GCB election.
Attorney General Basil Williams and Education Minister with Responsibility for Sport Nicolette Henry meet with GCB Officials and Stakeholders of cricket
The main agenda of the meeting was to start a process that would result in the holding of elections among other measures. The GCB has not held election since 2009; a situation that has raised concerns from stakieholders.
According to the Attorney General, who was at the time reading the ruling of Justice Nareshwar Harnanan relating to a court order against an injunction filed by the GCB to prevent the Attorney General and Minister of Culture Youth and Sport from enforcing the cricket administrators act; “This matter came up for hearing on this day and upon hearing Attorney-at-Law for the Plaintiffs and Respondents, it is hereby ordered that the matter be declared abandoned and incapable of being revived”, which is deemed a final order by the AG.”
Williams also noted there are a lot of court orders which prompted the birth of the act for matters he believes should have been settled.
“As I said too, there were a lot of court actions long before the Act came into being. In fact, that is why the Act came into being. To settle what should have been settled by all the stakeholders and we hope there will be a genuine intention to resolve the issues. And in this time of mediation, ladies and gentlemen it is time you all get together and resolve the issue. Because you see what happens when it goes to court? Things are further delayed.”
Minister Henry who has responsibility for sport, stated that she will act within the powers granted in her ministerial capacity to ensure due process takes place.
“As you are aware this is a legal matter and I had to be first of all guided by the Attorney General as to the outcome and the deliberations in the court. Having received the guidance from the AG, I will certainly act within the powers granted to me as the Minister with responsibility for sport to ensure that due process takes place. And since there is no current impediment to the holding of those elections I will certainly provide the necessary permission so that that process could take place.”
Henry plans to meet with the appointed Cricket Ombudsman, Dr. Winston McGowan subject to his availability as early as next week.
Talks between them are projected to ensure that some form of normalcy is brought back with regards to the burning issue that has been on-going for years and has in many ways hampered the development of the sport.
Meanwhile, following yesterday’s meeting, GCB, Secretary, Anand Sanasie said his entity is willing to move away from the issues that have hampered the sport, but disclosed that they are concerns that need to be addressed before elections could materialised including amendments to the Cricket Administration Act..
Meanwhile, Ronald Williams who represented other stakeholders applauded the hhosting of the meeting and added that stakeholders are looking forward to the next step.
“Now that the injunction is out the way, there is a clear path in moving forward,” Williams declared.
