Minister Frank Anthony must be commended.
It is a bit sad that it had to take the throwing of acid on a citizen of this country before the Minister decided that enough was enough and haul in those warring factions of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) for some straight talking.
One would hope that the minister’s intervention will not be an isolated one but that he will have a more hands on approach with the problems affecting sports associations including, of course, the issue of sponsorship.
The major issue facing the GCB is one of power grabbing.
Incumbent Chetram Singh has been at the helm of the GCB since 1991 and there are those who know that Singh will not be able to remain in the seat forever.
So what has happened? People have begun positioning themselves ready to pounce once Singh has decided to call it a day.
Indeed, the issue raised its head earlier this year when an ill Singh was out of the country and there were arguments over who was left in charge.
What is interesting is that those who are in search of power both inside and outside the GCB, are certainly not thinking of the destruction they are causing to the cricket landscape.
Recently Guyana, along with Barbados was identified as a possible venue to stage the inaugural West Indies Cricket Board Twenty20 tournament.
Whether the WICB will still see Guyana as a viable option in light of all that has taken place recently remains to be seen.
Additionally, one understands that the GCB might suffer in terms of sponsorship as some companies might be wary of linking themselves with an organization that is facing allegations of criminal wrongdoing and corruption.
But the power grabbers do not care about those issues.
They do not care about the fact that many people who owe their livelihood to this national sport might be affected.
People who covet power do not care about right or wrong.
It remains to be seen whether this initiative taken by Minister Anthony will bear fruit.
One hopes that it does.
The message the minister is sending to not only the GCB but to all organisations where there is conflict, is that it is better to work together and that we can work together despite our differences.
But there are some in this society who thrive on spreading mischief, looking for ways to cause confusion, trying to fulfill their own agendas and ambitions regardless of the cost, regardless of who are affected regardless of the price.
It is hoped that the Guyana Police Force will be able to crack the case of the acid thrower and that the GCB deal forthrightly with the allegations that they are facing.
That done Chetram Singh must look to hand over the reins of power he has held for so long.
He has served Guyana and West Indies cricket well over those long years. There has been much to celebrate including several years of Under-19 cricket title wins.
Once the GCB is cleared of any financial impropriety, Singh must resist the temptation to stay on and must walk away.
To remain in power will only serve to tarnish his legacy.
