[UPDATED] Dinas launches second strike on TTCB

NATIONAL LEAGUE representative Dinanath Ramnarine has again gone after the TT Cricket Board’s (TTCB) wicket, with another lawsuit aimed at challenging the cricketing body’s constitution and voting process.

Ramnarine, who unsuccessfully contested the presidency of the TTCB in January, this morning received the permission of Justice Frank Seepersad to advance his latest legal challenge. He has 14 days in which to file his application. In December, Ramnarine and other former national cricketers lost a lawsuit which questioned the legitimacy of the TTCB’s voting process.

After not holding elections for two years, because of the 2016 lawsuit by the league, on January 16 the national cricketing body went to the polls, which saw incumbent president Azim Bassarath remaining at the helm and a new executive team being selected.

Ramnarine and the others have appealed the December ruling of Justice Jacqueline Wilson, which is yet to be heard.

In his latest salvo, the former West Indies leg-spinner has argued that the January 16 elections of the TTCB executive were illegal and improper.

In his lawsuit, filed by attorney Rajesh Bududass, he wants the court to order the TTCB to hold fresh zonal elections to be followed by executive elections.

Ramnarine is alleging there are material conflicts of interest in the voting process and has also accused the current executive of misrepresenting financial documents and information required for the public to determine how the TTCB spends public funds.

Central to Ramnarine’s complaint is that articles of the TTCB’s constitution which permit affiliates and zonal representatives to vote should be removed, and he is asking the court to do just that.

He wants the court to direct the TTCB to adjust article 1.2 of the zonal regulations to remove affiliates, representatives of the primary and secondary schools cricket leagues and the umpire association from the voting membership, saying they can have additional members on the TTCB’s board than they are allowed.

According to Ramnarine, under Article 8.02 of the Constitution, each zone is managed by a zonal council, comprising six representatives of the clubs, two representatives of each affiliated league within the zone, two people nominated by the zonal council, two representatives each from the primary and secondary schools cricket leagues and two from the zonal umpires association.

He also accused the TTCB of allowing these affiliates to participate in the January election although they have not complied with zonal regulations which require them to provide copies of their Constitution, rules, income and expenditure statements and audited financial reports.
This, he said, is ultra vires the TTCB Act and its Constitution and incompatible with the principles of democracy and good public and private administration.

Voting members of the TTCB include: six executive officers, 21 zonal representatives from seven zonal councils, ten affiliate representatives, six national league representatives, and six nominated members.

There are seven cricketing zones in Trinidad, each having the right to have three members to sit on the board, and each of the three is entitled to vote at executive elections.

Ramnarine has also complained the TTCB executive, at the January election, failed to submit copies of audited finances for last three-year board term as well as annual and quarterly reports, and wants the court to force it to comply, while also ordering it to institute industry-standard governance reporting and financial procedures.

He accused the cricketing body of failing to institute industry-standard governance, reporting, and financial procedures as well as developing required internal controls for the proper financial management of the board, its fully-owned subsidiary Red Force, zonal councils and affiliates, all of which, he says, are required for voting members to make informed voting decisions, as well for the general public to ensure that state funds are properly managed.

He accused the executive of failing to account to the public in several matters including the execution of the CPL agreement contract, which, he said,  appeared to bind TT to contractual relations with a foreign entity for 50 years; numerous expenditures listed in past audited financial reports; the formation of the Red Force Company; the refusal to present projected expenditure as well as mismanagement of funds from state entities, such as the National Gas Company.

In his lawsuit, he has also sought a declaration that the failures and omission of the TTCB to amend its Constitution are unlawful, as it does not advance and improve the sport of cricket, is not in the welfare of the public or the sport of cricket and does not facilitate the proper conduct of the proceedings by the TTCB in the interest of the public

He said the TTCB regulates cricket in TT and enjoys the power to influence the choice of members of the national team and has influence in choosing members of West Indies cricket teams.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

NATIONAL LEAGUE representative Dinanath Ramnarine has again gone after the TT Cricket Board’s wicket, with another lawsuit aimed at challenging the cricketing body’s constitution and voting process.

Ramnarine, who unsuccessfully contested the presidency of the TTCB in January, this morning received the permission of Justice Frank Seepersad to advance his latest legal challenge.

In December, Ramnarine and other former national cricketers lost a lawsuit which questioned the legitimacy of the TTCB’s voting process.

After not holding elections for two years, because of the 2016 lawsuit by the league, on January 16 the national cricketing body went to the polls, which saw incumbent president Azim Bassarath remaining at the helm and a new executive team being selected.

Ramnarine and the others have appealed the December ruling of Justice Jacqueline Wilson, which is yet to be heard.

In his latest salvo, the former West Indies leg-spinner has argued that the January 16 elections of the TTCB executive were illegal and improper.