No more signed blank cheques at Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board

The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) is tightening up its fiscal practices after almost $500,000 went missing from its accounts over a five-year period.

A TTCB official who wished to stay anonymous said on Thursday that the signing of blank cheques in case emergency funding is needed has been discontinued.

The decision to end the availability of blank cheques at the TTCB was made “a while ago,” the official said, as the board prepares for an independent external audit.

The audit comes after an alleged misappropriation of funds in the TTCB was revealed in mid-December, and later reported to the Fraud Squad.

On Thursday, TTCB president Azim Bassarath, who also serves as Cricket West Indies (CWI) vice-president, confirmed that an auditor had already been identified, but must first be approved by board members.

The board will make a decision on this on January 13 at an executive meeting.

Newsday tried to contact CWI president Dr Kishore Shallow to ask him about the TTCB's previous practice of signing blank cheques, but messages to his cellphone were not answered.

It is uncertain how far back the auditor will comb TTCB’s books. However, a TTCB member who wished to stay anonymous said he is hoping the auditor investigates beyond the last five years.

On December 15, police PRO Joanne Archie told Newsday, “Fraud Squad has only received this investigation from the south office a few days ago and they are presently reviewing the file to have an appreciation of how to approach the investigation and to appoint an investigator. So it’s still in the embryonic stage,”

The events leading up to the Fraud Squad investigation and impending TTCB audit stemmed from a board meeting in December, when TTCB treasurer Kiswah Chaitoo revealed that money, in different tranches over a few years could not be accounted for. Chaitoo reported the matter to the police. Another TTCB employee has since resigned.

Bassarath told Newsday, “We have a letter in our hands where a former employee, who has since resigned, admitted to some wrongdoings, and the matter has since been reported to the police.”