Regional cricket boards sad that AGM postponed

Cricket West Indies president Ricky Skerritt. - SUREASH CHOLAI
Cricket West Indies president Ricky Skerritt. - SUREASH CHOLAI

THE Windward Islands Cricket Board (WICB), along with the Leeward Islands Cricket Board (LICB) and the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), are all saddened that the Cricket West Indies (CWI) annual general meeting (AGM) was postponed on Sunday.

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) decided to boycott the elections, forcing them to be postponed to April 11.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, the GCB explained why representatives did not attend. The release said, "The main reason for this decision was that the current leadership of CWI failed to conform with the statutory requirements of the Articles of Association and present audited financial statement of CWI. Financial statements must be sent to shareholders 14 days before the AGM and are required to be approved by the board of directors. This was not done for the first time in decades."

In the AGM timeline, the CWI said a "CWI board of directors meeting to consider and approve accounts" was held on March 11.

On March 13, "Draft CWI financial statements (were) sent to all members, having been approved by audit risk and compliance and finance committees and CWI board of directors."

On Sunday, a release by WICB said, “The WICB expresses sadness at the turn of events at the Cricket West Indies Annual General Meeting scheduled for today March 28, 2021.

“The WICB finds no good reason for the manner in which confusion and disrepute have been foisted upon our esteemed and honourable governing body and condemns this attempt to drag our cricket into the gutters.”

The WICB confirmed its support for Skerritt and vice-president Dr Kishore Shallow.

“Over the past two years, the CWI leadership has displayed great skill and fortitude in uniting West Indies Cricket, inspiring hope in our fans, forging strategic alliances, managing scarce finances, and showing great vision in charting the way forward.”

The LICB echoed the sentiments of the WICB with a release on Sunday.

“The LICB is saddened by the events of earlier today at the CWI AGM… the LICB is deeply troubled, perplexed and horrified that the BCA and the GCB, which are globally recognised for producing some of the greatest cricketers to have played the game, were comfortable bringing CWI in such disrepute.”

The LICB, which also reiterated its support for Skerritt and Shallow, said, “We are confident that all processes and procedures were followed leading up to the AGM, wherein all LICB representatives as well as representatives from Jamaica Cricket Association, Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board and Windward Islands Cricket Board of Control were present at the meeting and ready to engage in pursuit of the betterment of West Indies Cricket.”

The JCA’s statement on Monday, said the association is “deeply concerned.”

“It is noted that the representatives from the BCA and the GCB were absent without an apology for their absence despite the fact their attendance was previously authorised. This comes at a time when we need to work together to continue the rebuilding of our cricket, which requires a mature approach on the part of everyone especially those in leadership roles,” the JCA release said.

“We need for all our members to act in a way that will engender the confidence and respect of our Caribbean people, sponsors, media rights partners, our fans and even more importantly our players who will take the field of play this morning for the second test against Sri Lanka.”

On Sunday, TTCB president Azim Bassarath told Newsday he was surprised and shocked by what unfolded at the AGM.

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"Regional cricket boards sad that AGM postponed"

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