The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) which has been in an administrative dilemma over the last several years, was yesterday deemed illegal by High Court Judge Justice Fidela Corbin.
The Judge also ruled that the GCB’s appointment of Steven Lewis as the Cricket Ombudsman in 2018 is null and void.
Justice Corbin handed down both rulings at the High Court in Georgetown yesterday following legal proceedings filed by Attorney Arudranauth Gossai on behalf of Rabindranauth Saywack and the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB).
Saywack challenged the May 2018 appointment of Lewis while the BCB challenged the legitimacy of the GCB following `purported’ elections in 2018 where Fizul Bacchus was elected President and Anand Sanasie, Secretary.
Attorney Gossai, in an interview with Stabroek Sport, explained that the Judge agreed that both Lewis’ appointment and the elections in 2018 were ‘null and void and of no effect and that those persons affected cannot hold themselves out to be office bearers or to do anything as it relates to the operations of the GCB.
Asked to shed light on the way forward in wake of the ruling, the lawyer explained that further legal steps will be taken to resolve the impasse with the Demerara Cricket Board.
“I’m also engaged in a matter before Justice Mahindra Singh asking certain orders that Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) holds an election and the court should order that the elections be conducted by the court like it did with the BCB,” Gossai said.
That hearing is set for April 17, 2019 before Justice Singh.
Should that order be granted, Gossai explained that it will pave the way for the existence of all three properly constituted county boards, at the same time, who will be tasked with paving the way forward. That may include the holding of constitutional elections.
Further, Gossai informed Stabroek Sport that another court action will be filed against the recent appointment of by the Minister with responsibility for Sport, Dr George Norton, of Lewis as the cricket Ombudsman.
That action is expected to be brought before the court detailing Lewis’ bias towards a section of the board and his membership with the Everest Cricket Club.
On that basis, according to Gossai, Lewis’ impartiality will be called into question should he be allowed to carry out the functions as the Cricket Ombudsman. That application will be filed before the week is out, Gossai said.
