The threat to Guyana’s cricket grew more dire today when the Board of the International Cricket Council (ICC) condemned the Guyana Government over its installation of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to run cricket here.
In a statement on its website today following a board meeting in Dubai yesterday and today, the ICC said: “The ICC Board reiterates the principle of non-interference in the sport by Governments and were concerned to learn of the developments in Guyana where the Government has dissolved the Guyana Cricket Board and replaced it with an Interim Management Committee. In condemning this government intervention in the strongest possible terms, the ICC Board reaffirmed the principle of non-interference and that the only legitimate cricketing authority is that recognized by the West Indies Cricket Board.”
The government has been locked in a bitter standoff with the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) over the game. It developed after the government appointed an IMC headed by the renowned former West Indies cricket captain Clive Lloyd. The GCB has resisted all attempts by the IMC to take over cricket here and has sought recourse to the courts. The standoff reached farcical heights when both the IMC and GCB named separate squads for a regional tournament. The GCB has also secured backing from the WICB and now the ICC.
The contretemps raises questions about what the government will do now – proceed with revamping cricket via the IMC or backing down in favour of GCB-led reforms. Already there have been hints by the WICB that Guyana’s scheduled hosting of a Test match in the upcoming West Indies versus Australia series could be in jeopardy. Only a last-minute compromise deal with the WICB enabled Guyana’s team to participate in the regional four-day cricket tournament. However, all matches in the tournament scheduled to be played in Guyana were pulled by the WICB in protest at the IMC role.
Negotiations between the Guyana Government and the WICB under the auspices of Caricom have been taking place for a settlement of the issues. However, a proposed draft agreement delineating roles for the GCB and the IMC has not been signed by the Guyana Government and the WICB has expressed concerns over this.
The present impasse has its genesis in two years of upheaval at the GCB which raised serious concerns about improprieties – financial and otherwise – at the level of the board. There have also been major disputes at the level of the regional boards and challenges over the fairness of elections. The throwing of acid in the face of a GCB official after he raised concerns about financial irregularities in the GCB’s business brought matters to a head.
