CWI receives TTCB statement on missing funds

CRICKET West Indies (CWI) president Dr Kishore Shallow said he is aware of concerns of alleged financial mismanagement in the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB), saying he will continue to advocate for greater accountability.

In December 2023, then TTCB treasurer Kiswah Chaitoo revealed that approximately $500,000 was allegedly misused over a five-year period. Another TTCB employee has since resigned following the revelation.

TTCB board members passed a motion of no confidence against former treasurer of the board Kiswah Chaitoo in February.

For Chaitoo to be removed, two-thirds needed to be in favour of it. At the end of the voting process, 35 wanted him to leave and 12 were against, which is more than two-thirds.

Chaitoo, an experienced forensic accountant, said he wanted to protect his name and reported the matter to the Fraud Squad.

Former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding said he was disappointed to hear what was happening in the TTCB. He was speaking virtually on day one of a Caricom Cricket Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain on April 25.

“Just recently, I saw a report about something happening in the TTCB where someone (Chaitoo) saw the discrepancies and reported it and that person was sidelined,” Holding said. "Come on, folks, we have to face things like that and do the right thing.”

Shallow has campaigned about good governance and transparency in CWI. The TTCB is led by president Azim Bassarath, who is also the vice-president of CWI.

Asked about issue raised by Holding, Shallow said, "We have received documented position from TTCB about this situation. We understand that someone has resigned.

“What we have done is established internal control from a CWI perspective where we audit the shareholders so that disbursement to the shareholders are accounted for properly. What we continue to do is try to strengthen that.

“We will continue to advocate to the territorial boards to ensure that there is greater accountability to implement all the prudent financial practices that we expect of them.”

Shallow said the TTCB has been above aboard in terms of their finances distributed to them by CWI.

Questioned about the TTCB's removal of Chaitoo for bringing up alleged misuse of money, Shallow said, “I don't know the reason behind it. I have not gotten any documented position on that, but I have seen that in the media as well. I suspect that if it was inappropriate or illegal or illegitimate there would be some position not only from Mr Chaitoo, but also the affiliates from TTCB.”