The Guyana national cricket team for the regional T/20 tournament slated for Antigua on January 9, has been reinstated by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), the Government Information Agency said tonight.
The announcement came after a Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee meeting on Cricket was held at the Caricom Secretariat today to iron out issues that over recent weeks stymied the hopes of the Guyana team being represented.
The GCB which is locked in a feud with the government over the management of cricket had told the WICB that it was unable to field a team because of the actions of the administration here. The deadline set by the WICB for a firm answer on the team expired yesterday and Guyana was to be replaced by a Windies B team.
GINA said that President Donald Ramotar, at whose request the meeting was held, today joined Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony; Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General Anil Nandlall; Caricom Secretary General Dr. Irwin LaRocque; Chairman of the recently formed Interim Management Committee (IMC) on Cricket and former West Indies Captain Clive Lloyd and Deputy Secretary General in the Caricom Secretariat Lolita Applewhaite at a teleconference.
Also at the teleconference were Antiguan Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer who chaired the session, Caricom Chairman and President of Suriname Desi Bouterse and Prime Minister of Barbados Freundel Stewart who were accompanied by their delegations.
President of the WICB Dr. Julian Hunte who was invited to participate during the course of the teleconferencing, indicated his willingness to bring an amicable closure to the matter, GINA said.
Dr. Hunte, attended by a delegation from the Board has agreed to visit Guyana for a meeting with local officials on January 9 to iron out some of the issues that emanated from the Guyana Government’s establishment of the interim body to run Guyana’s cricket.
During his visit it is expected that there will be a reconciliation of issues relating to the IMC.