‘There is nothing to hide’

PRESIDENT of the TT Cricket Board Azim Bassarath says his executive will let the court-ordered committee do its investigations of alleged financial misconduct.

In a telephone interview on Monday, Bassarath told Newsday the TTCB board will not be appealing the judge’s ruling, and will instead go ahead and appoint the five-member committee and let it do its job.

“We have been saying all along that there is nothing to hide and we welcome this opportunity to have this issue cleared up,” he said.

According to Bassarath, at the time, there was a misconception by the TTCB’s chief executive officer in terms of the MOU and how the money should be spent.

He claimed the former CEO was of the belief that there was no need to inform the NGC of the shifting of funds.

“That is where the problem arose,” he said, adding that NGC has since been provided with information on where the money was spent.

“They have seen where it was spent,” he said, again admitting that it went against the MOU.

“We admit that we did it because of the misunderstanding,” he added. He could not say if there was acceptance by the NGC of the board’s explanation.

In endorsing the judge’s decision as it related to the NGC audit, Ramnarine again accused the TTCB of breaching its statutory duties and called on Bassarath and his executive to resign.

He said the TTCB had “stoutly resisted any investigation whatsoever into its financial affairs.”

“Today stands as a victory for integrity in sport and public affairs for members, even in minority, to give them a voice to demand accountability and transparency,” Ramnarine said after the court’s ruling.

On Monday, Justice Frank Seepersad ordered the TTCB to appoint a five-member committee to investigate issues and concerns raised in a National Gas Company (NGC) financial audit which showed that a portion of its sponsorship to the sporting body was spent without approval.

The former West Indies leg-spinner argued that the January 16, 2019, election – which saw incumbent president Azim Bassarath remaining at the helm and a new executive team being selected – was illegal and improper. Central to Ramnarine’s complaint was that articles of the TTCB’s constitution which permit affiliates and zonal representatives to vote should be removed, and he asked the court to do just that.

The judge declined to do so, saying, the court was mindful that the TTCB was vested with the authority to administer its affairs and manage its processes and had the power to develop and amend its Constitution and regulatory processes, as it sees fit, pursuant to the provisions of its constitution.

On the issue relating to the voting by affiliates, Bassarath said the TTCB board has “all along been conducting its affairs in accordance with the constitution.” He said the board was confident that Ramnarine’s action would not succeed.