TTCB boss says alderman job will not affect cricket

PRESIDENT of the TT Cricket Board(TTCB) Azim Bassarath, said his recent re-appointment as alderman in the Princes Town Regional Corporation will not affect his job as head of the local cricket organisation. According to Bassarath,”cricket will not suffer.”

Yesterday, speaking with Newsday about his re-appointment ,at the National Cricket Centre, in Couva, during the North-South Cricket Classic, Bassarath said, “I have been serving as an alderman in the Princes Town Regional Corporation since December of 2016, so this is not a new assignment or appointment for me...and during the course of 2016 to 2019 cricket did not suffer. Cricket continued to get my attention and my colleagues on the executive of the TTCB’s attention, so I don’t see that cricket will suffer at all in the long run.”

The swearing-in ceremony of the Princes Town aldermen was held on December 17.

The TTCB president said the board, under his leadership, continues to improve local cricket.

“Over the past three years we have done well in terms of the administration of the game. We have seen growth in terms of our development programmes and you see as we speak – the North-South Classic is taking place and that is one of the new initiatives that has come on board even since the appointment of the alderman position.”

Bassarath said the skills he has learned as a cricket administrator will continue to help him serve the people of Princes Town in his role as alderman.

Bassarath reminded the public that a number of people previously have run local sporting bodies and held Government positions. He pointed at former TT Football Association president Raymond Tim Kee, who was mayor of Port of Spain from 2013 to 2016 and president of the TT Football Association from 2012 to 2015. Bassarath also said former TTCB president Dr Alloy Lequay also served as a Government official.

“We must take into consideration that at the time of when Mr Raymond Tim Kee and Dr Alloy Lequay would have served as president of football and cricket (respectively) they were members of the opposing political organisations. I don’t think that we (cricket) will suffer. Cricket and football being the two major sports in our country, I don’t think any political administration will want to victimise these sports because the majority of people in our country participate and play and support these sports.”