Interim Injunction granted halting Ombudsman from functioning

Roysdale Forde
Roysdale Forde

An interim injunction was on Tuesday granted in the High Court to stop Attorney-at-Law Stephen Lewis from carrying out the functions of the Cricket Ombudsman.

Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln presided over the matter where the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) had moved to the Court to block the elected Ombudsman in carrying out his functions.

Lewis had on May 3 secured majority votes in an election for the post at an extraordinary meeting of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) as per the Cricket Administration Act 2014 Chapter 23:01.

An application for an injunction was filed three days later.

Stabroek Sports was reliably informed that when the matter was called yesterday, Attorney-at-Law Roysdale Forde, acting on behalf of Lewis, gave an undertaken which bounded the Ombudsman from functioning until the matter regarding the election of Lewis is sorted out.

According to sources, the sitting judge had decided that the issue regarding the validity of Lewis’ election will be in contention and until a ruling is heard to this regard, Lewis will not be able to function in the capacity of Cricket Ombudsman.

The matter is expected to be heard on June 4.

Article 17 (a)  of the Guyana Cricket Administration Act of 2014 states that the minister after meaningful consultation with the West Indies Cricket Board “shall be responsible for the appointment of a Cricket Ombudsman who shall be responsible for the verification of the Clubs and for performing the functions of the returning officer of the first election of membership of the Guyana Cricket Board” while Article 17 (b) states that the minister “shall have no part to play in respect to the holding of subsequent elections of the Guyana Cricket Board and the appointment of the Ombudsman.”