The Supreme Court yesterday ruled that elections for the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) are set for Friday but an appeal was filed to set aside the decision shortly after.
In an invited comment, Attorney-at-Law Arudranauth Gossai, who is representing respondents, Roger Harper, the former President of the Georgetown Cricket Association, Davteerth Anandjit in his capacity as Secretary of the East Coast Cricket Board and Bradley Fredericks in his capacity as President of the Upper Demerara Cricket Association, told this publication that they hope to see a Court supervised elections taking place on Friday at 11.00 hours at the Demerara Cricket Club, Queenstown.
Gossai reflected briefly on the history leading up to yesterday’s ruling, going back to 2018 when an application was filed in the High Court in Demerara for elections of the executive committee of the DCB.
That decision stems from a ruling by the court on June 20, 2019 to have the elections “held no later than August 11th 2019.”
Subsequent to that order, there was a Summons for a stay of the order pending the determination of an Appeal.
As of February 1 2021, the Summons applying for the stay of the order pending the hearing and determination of the Appeal had not been heard however, the Summons was withdrawn.
Gossai noted that because the Summons was withdrawn, there was nothing hindering the elections from taking place and since the date was past, he had applied for a new date.
He indicated that the five associations in Demerara are now expected to submit their list of delegates to the Court by February 17.
He said that the Court-supervised elections will see a Marshall calling to order the meeting and verifying the delegates.
Meanwhile, according to documents seen by Stabroek Sport, an appeal was filed asking that the decision delivered by Justice Singh extending certain time limits stipulated by the final Order be set aside and a judgment be granted reversing and/or setting aside the decision, an order that there be costs to the Appellant in the Full Court of Appeal and in the Court before and such further or other orders as may be just.
The Attorney-at-Law reasoned that now, with the Berbice Cricket Board already having a Court-supervised election in 2018, Essequibo Cricket Board having an election in conformity with the Cricket Administration Act, should the Demerara Cricket Board election this week unfold, then it would move closer to having the Guyana Cricket Board elections.
Gossai explained that following the Demerara Cricket Board elections, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., on consultation with Cricket West Indies, shall appoint a Cricket Ombudsman in accordance with Section 17 of the Cricket Administration Act and set the date for the election.
