Int’l federations/government should team up to solve problems affecting GFF and GCB

It is regrettable that the administration of cricket and football, two of the more popular sports disciplines in Guyana, has come to such a sorry pass.

In the case of cricket, not even the intervention of the government, through its Minister of Sport, seems to be able to solve the myriad of problems affecting the discipline.

As it stands, the latest development in cricket is that the Interim Management Committee (IMC) set up by the minister following the ruling of Chief Justice Ian Chang, seems to have completed its work which was, among other things, the drafting of a new constitution to replace the two allegedly used by the previous administration.

Chang, in his ruling, had pointed out that the State has responsibility for the welfare, promotion and proper administration of sports in Guyana adding that a legislative structure for the administration of cricket was needed since the GCB was a legal non entity which could not be sued for any malpractice.

With the constitution completed following consultation with a number of stakeholders, all that is left is for the constitution to be passed in parliament paving the way for new election of office bearers.

It will be interesting to see whether the new constitution will be passed especially since the combined opposition (which has the majority in parliament) was not too keen on the government being involved in the first place citing the autonomy of sports association/federations.

Even if the constitution is passed the way forward is not altogether too clear cut. What of the Demerara Cricket Board saga which is still in the Court? And what will happen if the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB),  which itself has followed the direction of its parent body the International Cricket Council (ICC) and frowned on the Guyana government’s involvement, does