Sir Clive Lloyd is finding it difficult to understand the situation with Guyana’s cricket and is calling for the Guyana Cricket Board’s election to be held.
The former West Indies captain made his remarks during an appearance on Barbados radio programme, Mason and Guest on Tuesday.
“It’s perplexing I must say but the point is I feel Guyana needs to just get on with it. Its 11 years since you had elections, you should have elections every three years according to the constitution and the sports act that was just passed.”
Lloyd, who led West Indies to World Cup glory in 1975 and 1979, raised several questions in relation to who pronounces on Guyana’s cricket.
“I find it very difficult to understand you know who represents Guyana. I don’t understand that. First they said they are illegal, they can’t go to the main stadium, and they can’t go to meetings at the WICB [West Indies Cricket Board] so who represents Guyana?
“This team that was chosen, who chose that team?
“I just want to know who speaks for Guyana?” Lloyd asked.
“I find it very strange, the whole situation. I really think the Guyana guys should now put their big pants on and have elections and whoever wins, win. It could green, yellow, blue, red whoever it is but have elections, that’s the only way you will be recognized as a legal body,” said the Guyanese legend.
The former captain expressed his disappointment with the route the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) took that subsequently averted the Guyana Cricket Board’s election which was set for last Friday by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Charles Ramson Jr.
According to Cricket Ombudsman, Kamal Ramkarran, who is an Attorney-at-Law, Essequibo had raised issues concerning his functions and he could not carry out the election until the issues have been resolved.
He argued that the fraternity has been waiting a while for the Demerara Cricket Board elections and when that happened, there was a quorum but despite that, the election was called off.
Both the Demerara Cricket Board, earlier this year and the Berbice Cricket Board in 2018 had elections which were supervised by the Court.
“I find it very strange as I said very perplexing, but I hope good sense prevails and this will come to an end quite soon. You don’t have people waiting in the wings sort of thing for something to happen,” Lloyd stated.
The 76-year-old recalled that he was partly responsible for bringing the sports act up to speed and was passed by both the Opposition and the Government but it was then thrown out.
“I don’t understand the politics there at all. I just want to know it’s so important for people to be part of this cricket fraternity and it’s obvious the people should be able to say if you are needed or wanted, let’s go to a vote and everybody could vote and vote for whoever you want to and let’s get on with our cricket.”
Back in 2011, Lloyd was appointed Chairman of an Interim Management Committee set up by then Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony which included lawyer Edward Luckhoo, former Minister within the PPP/C government Anthony Xavier, former president of the Guyana Cricket Board, Norman McLean, Accountant Harry Parmesar and former Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Alfred King.
The decision by Minister Anthony to install the IMC to manage the affairs of the Guyana Cricket Board was in keeping with a ruling handed down by Chief Justice Ian Chang on August 22, 2011 following a challenge to the legality of the Ramsey Ali-led GCB by Angela Haniff of the Berbice Cricket Board.
Lloyd spoke highly of the talent pool in Guyana but said the situation was embarrassing owing to the rich legacy Guyana has in producing talented players.
“Yes it is embarrassing for our cricket, our country and probably the whole world that we don’t have anybody representing a country that has produced quite a lot of top class cricketers over the years for the West Indies and the rest of the world. The point is now is the time for them to man up and do the business,” Lloyd stated.
“I think we cannot hold people to ransom. We have youngsters, it’s their living, and it’s their livelihood. They want to play cricket and know that somebody will be there to speak up for them once they perform and I think Guyana’s got some good young cricketers and I think it’s about time all this nonsense is thrown aside and somebody, whoever it is, decide it’s time now for us to have elections.”
