Dear Editor,
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Frank Anthony seems confused as to the real reason why he disbanded the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) or as he wants us to believe, why he acted on instructions to disband the GCB, a private unincorporated sports entity. He sometimes seems confused about how sporting entities manage their business and is ignorant of the rules and regulations that govern them.
Recently, in the Wednesday, December 13 edition of Stabroek News, the Minister was reported as saying that he disbanded the GCB because of the Chief Justice‘s ruling. Chief Justice Ian Chang‘s ruling never give him the right to do so and he should read the Caribbean Court of Justice ruling in the case Rajendra Singh and Robin Singh v The Attorney General of Guyana which states, “It is trite law, as stated in John v Rees, that a club or an association if unincorporated is not an entity separate from its members and so cannot sue or be sued. Nevertheless, it is also trite law, as stated in Hanchett-Stanford v Att-Gen, “that the members for the time being of an unincorporated association are beneficially entitled to ‘its’ assets, subject to the contractual arrangements between them.” He then tried to blame the ICC saying that their regulations give him the right to do so. The regulations give him the right to investigate fraud, and one would assume that if any were found the police would lay criminal charges and the business of the board would move on. No such evidence was found so certainly no charges were laid against the officers of the GCB.
The Minister also said that the entire GCB had resigned. This never happened, and if I did resign he should provide the evidence.
He does apparently have a document from one officer which refers to state-sponsored searches and harassment.
That officer has clearly indicated that he has not resigned from the GCB. Mr Anthony also claimed that there is an injunction against the GCB; we have the documents to prove otherwise.
The Minister should try some simple things, such as I made a mistake, or I received the wrong information. Actually, Mr Jagdeo had a solution which the Minister derailed with his legislation to take control of cricket administration, claiming it is identical to the TTCB legislation. Well if they are identical, I resemble Tom Cruise.
Mr Anthony sent letters to all the officers of the GCB saying that the board had been disbanded and all assets should be handed over to him. Then locks were placed on our doors; our homes and offices were searched; our assets and documents were seized and have not been returned to us despite a court order to return them; our secretary was charged for perjury when there was none, and no response is forthcoming to the high court challenge. The GCB was taken to court where it was claimed its assets were ownerless. At every stage we had to respond to the court challenge or go to court to stop it.
I am an optimist, so when I read that the Minister had decided to write FIFA to solve the football issue, I said to a few people “he is learning.” I was told, “FIFA is not the WICB, they ban you and talk later.”
Yours faithfully,
Fizul Bacchus
President (ag)
Guyana Cricket Board
