TTCB executive should resign now

AZIM BASSARATH, president of the TT Cricket Board (TTCB), and members of his executive are being asked to resign over the current scandal regarding the financial audit done on the local governing body by the National Gas Company (NGC).

According to yesterday’s Newsday, NGC president Mark Loquan, in a letter to National League member Daren Ganga’s attorney Priya Ramsahai, confirmed that a report on the initial findings was “a true copy of the internal audit report commissioned by NGC into its funding of the TTCB for the period 2014 to 2016”.

The audit, which was dated March 15 2017 and conducted by the internal audit department of NGC, showed that 24 per cent of NGC’s sponsorship to the TTCB was not spent according to stipulation. According to the audit, between 2014 and 2016, $2,983,000 was spent by the TTCB without approval and against the accordance of the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding).

In a letter to the media yesterday, Kiswah Chaitoo, a National League Club representative (with Barrackpore-based team Yorkshire Cricket Club), wrote, “As a matter of ethics, integrity, accountability and good governance, it is my strong view that the entire executive (should) resign immediately.”

Chaitoo, who is also a trained forensic/chartered accountant, mentioned, “I must express by disappointment in the executive of the TTCB in the (manner) that they continue to execute (its) business.”

Chaitoo reflected on the controversial Independent Review Commission (IRC) report, in which the TTCB appointed a three-member group to conduct an independent examination of its governance structure. But the TTCB has refused to accept the recommendations from the IRC.

Bassarath and some of his executive members, including first vice-president Dr Allen Sammy and treasurer Sukesh Maniam, held a media conference at the TTCB’s office in Balmain, Couva,on Wednesday, in which he (Bassarath) suggested a probe into how Ganga received a copy of the NGC audit report.

“The question for the executive is who knew about the report and hid it,” wrote Chaitoo.

He noted, “If they intend to resign or leave the Board by any other means, they should first pay back the (sum) they paid from TTCB funds to the attorneys to defend the matter in court against the National League Representatives (including Ganga and Dinanath Ramnarine), who had to pay from their pockets to get justice for cricket in TT.”

Repeated calls to Bassarath yesterday were unanswered while Sammy pointed out, “We’ve decided that only one person would speak on this whole issue and that’s the president.”

Three zonal cricket council chairmen – Winston Sobers (North), Chaitram Ramjitsingh (South) and Ramesh Dharamdeo (South West) have written a letter to Bassarath calling for an emergency meeting of the TTCB to discuss the audit and to appoint an independent external forensic auditor to investigate the findings. Asked if the TTCB hierarchy should tender their resignations, Sobers responded, “You have to ask them that.”

He continued, “When the story came out, we sent a letter to them asking for a meeting to discuss the findings. They subsequently had a press conference (on Wednesday) and said there is nothing to worry and they are above board. We are still asking them to come clean, have a meeting with us and explain what has come out.”

Sobers noted, “We can’t say what they would do next, only Bassarath can say that. But we have been asking for is (for) all members of the Cricket Board to come clean with what the audit would have found. (The NGC) have come out and said that it was authentic.”

Yesterday, Ramjitsingh admitted that he was expected to sign a document last evening, calling for the meeting.

“We’re looking for an investigation into the report,” said Ramjitsingh.