TTCB on treasurer's removal: Confidentiality breach led to no confidence vote

THE motion of no confidence moved to have former Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) treasurer Kiswah Chaitoo removed from his post was “successfully carried because of his role in leaking the board’s internal affairs into the public domain, without the necessary approval.”

This was the primary reason given by the TTCB in a statement on March 7, which outlined their “chronological account” of what led to Chaitoo’s axing at a Special General Meeting on February 28, and the “constitutionality of the actions taken by the board.”

Chaitoo’s removal came after a motion of no confidence in the treasurer was carried by 35 votes to 12, in which 47 of the 49 board members were present, fulfilling the two-thirds majority requirement.

He has since appealed his removal and sent a 14-page notice of appeal to the TTCB’s Supreme Appellant Committee, challenging the February 28 process.

In the board’s first official statement on the matter, they made public their account of the lead-up, and reasons for Chaitoo’s removal.

It said that in late 2023, an issue of financial irregularities (approximately $500k in missing money) was brought to the attention of the TTCB executive from which meetings were held with Chaitoo.

Legal advice was obtained from an attorney retained by the board who advised that the TTCB constitution instructs a course of action.

The executive then asked Chaitoo to submit a report.

Over one month later, in mid-November, they said Chaitoo was called upon to provide a report of his meeting with his “ethics committee” to the executive, to which he did not respond and, “gave no indication to the executive or the board, of his intentions that he would be reporting any matter to the Police.”

“To date, Mr Chaitoo still has not reported back to the executive,” the statement read.

It said the executive appointed a three-member committee to investigate what transpired with the missing money, and to make recommendations on what should be done to prevent any further occurrences, as well as the action to be taken against the wrong doer.

An employee has since resigned.

On December 9, 2023, at the board's AGM, Chaitoo told the meeting that he reported the matter to the Police.

However, the TTCB took issue with a December 24 newspaper report where Chaitoo was quoted and copies of TTCB cheques published.

Quoting Article 27 – Confidentiality of its constitution, it said, “(i) The proceedings and documents of all meetings of the executive and of the board shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed to unauthorised persons. This shall apply to all meetings held virtually, and at all venues.”

It added that at the January 13, 2024, executive meeting, members indicated a loss of confidence in Chaitoo. He was sent a letter inviting him to a meeting to discuss the matter, and “bring to his attention the many breaches of the TTCB constitution he had committed.”

They said the ex-treasurer did not accept their invitation and the board “could no longer condone Chaitoo’s overt disregard and non-adherence to the provision of TTCB’s constitution, his failure to submit a report to TTCB to allow TTCB to act with alacrity against the alleged wrongdoer, 16 board members decided to take action and signed a petition which was sent to the TTCB secretary (Altaf Baksh).”

Baksh then called a special board meeting which tabled a motion of no confidence in the treasurer within 14 days.

On February 28, the Special General Meeting was convened with 74.4 percent voting to have Chaitoo removed.

Their statement closed, “The TTCB wishes to state emphatically, that it will never condone any wrongdoings especially of a criminal nature” and that the process to address the matter of the missing money “is in progress.”

In Chaitoo’s March 4 appeal, his lawyers contend the motion for the vote of no confidence was “misconceived, baseless, (and) constitutes an abuse” by the movers.

The appeal accused the TTCB of failing to hold disciplinary proceedings instead of taking the more “radical” route of a vote of no confidence.

“The goal was simply, to get rid of the treasurer,” they said in a statement on Monday.

Last Thursday, Chaitoo said he was being penalised for doing the right thing. When contacted yesterday for a response on TTCB’s claims, Chaitoo said his legal team would issue a statement in due course.