T&T Minister, cricket board begin afresh

(Trinidad Express) Yesterday morning, at his Abercromby Street office, Minister of Sport Anil Roberts and Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) president Azim Bassarath put their recent clashes behind them and began a new partnership.

The meeting was prompted by an invitation issued last Monday by Bassarath at the welcoming ceremony for the successful Caribbean T20-winning national team at Piarco International Airport.

He asked for a meeting with the Minister as soon as possible to settle matters. Roberts accepted and yesterday both men agreed their objective had been met.

“The meeting went very well. We were very satisfied,” Bassarath told the Express.

“We went this morning with the idea that what has happened in the past (is in the past). We wanted to start a new page. We have put all that would have happened behind and we move forward now.”

Minister Roberts went even further than agreeing that the meeting was “extremely positive”.

He said: “Some of the NSOs (national sporting organisations) can take example from the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board on the information provided. They have been forthcoming with their accounts and bank balances. If we want to make a comparison, the NAAA still have to provide account and revenue information. They are delaying the process of funding.”

The Minister added: “We actually put our heads together and came up with some new strategies to get the crowds back.”

Roberts also said there was now an understanding of cash flow problems and that any money of its own the TTCB spent (because of slow disbursement by Government), they would keep the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT) abreast of the situation.

Bassarath also confirmed that the TTCB has been told it would now receive funding for the current financial year.

Yesterday’s declarations were in stark contrast to the exchanges between the Minister and Cricket Board president in recent weeks and months.

At a press conference in December, Roberts charged that the TTCB had “sold out” Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo playing for T&T in the Champions League, accepting TT$1.5 million in return for them playing for their Indian Premier League franchises, when president Bassarath had previously stated that the Board would receive “not one cent” for the players.

Earlier this month, the Minister went further, alleging the Board was hoarding TT$5.1 million and investing in bonds while at the same time applying to the Sport Company for funds.

Roberts declared then that “not one red cent” would be given to the TTCB for the 2011-12 period.

In response, Bassarath claimed Roberts was “playing politics” and supporting the Friends of Cricket group, which was at one stage challenging the Cricket Board leading up to last year’s TTCB elections.

Yesterday, however, the Minister sought to close the book on those exchanges, saying he “didn’t really want to spend time on what happened before”.

“We have all undertaken to develop cricket. There will be full communication so that Trinidad and Tobago will have the opportunity to have its strongest team at all times, especially in the Champions League.”