Stakes high for TTCB meeting

The stakes will be high when the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board stages its third 2023-24 quarterly meeting tomorrow.

Amendments to the Board’s constitution are on the agenda, in particular, the taking away of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Umpires’ Council’s (TTCUC’s) Affiliate Member status.

A two-thirds majority vote would be needed to bring this proposed amendment into effect. If such happens, then the TTCUC would no longer have voting power within the TTCB and could also be replaced as the body responsible for providing officials for matches in T&T.

According to the TTCUC, local umpires are expected to show up at the meeting to show support for their body.

In a release this week, the Central Zone of the TTCB — which is headed by Kellman Kowlessar, who is also president of the Umpires Council — outlined the difficulties it had with the move, stating: Our specific cause for concern is the reported intention of the TTCB to remove the Trinidad and Tobago Umpires Council (TTCUC) as an affiliate of the board as well as the intention to remove zonal umpires’ bodies from their respective zones. The Central Zonal Council as well as all zones within the country stand to be adversely affected by this surprise move, done without consultation and urges the board members to halt this process.”

The Central Zone release added: “It is therefore, concerning to the Central Zone that this seemingly arbitrary move by the TTCB is done without consultation with the zone and without the opportunity to have a say in the matter.”

It added: “The Central Zone references the last constitutional change process where zones were consulted with and there was extensive consideration of the views and recommendations of zones. The Central Zone asks, on a serious matter as removing an entire affiliate from the board and two voting members, why the secrecy and lack of consultation?

What are the impacts on the game and how will the zones be affected when they also stand to lose two of their members via this move?

Of further concern to the Central Zone with these proposed changes, is the reported proposed ability of the TTCB to appoint “Associate Members” to the board at their discretion and within zones. According to the reported constitutional changes, these Associate Members need only be ‘involved in cricket related activities or providing essential support and service to cricket.’

The Central Zone raised three specific concerns on this matter.

It stated:

1. The TTCUC fully fulfils this definition of Associate Member and Affiliate Member status yet is being removed by this arbitrary change. These proposed changes are on one hand creating a status for Associate Membership to the board utilising some specific criteria yet in the same process, it is removing a long-standing, contributing organisation which fully meets this criteria. This is irrational, illogical and simply does not make sense.

2. The Associate Membership can pave the way for Affiliate Member status with voting rights at the board and zonal levels. This can create the risk of the TTCB directly manipulating the votes within the board and zones.

The outcomes of elections can thus be determined by arbitrary decisions, taken at the board level on the admission of Associate and Affiliate Members.

The Central Zone views this as a serious risk to the erosion of democracy within the board and zones and can result in “voter padding” within these bodies through appointment of Associate Members paving the way for Affiliate Membership with voting rights.

3. This removal of long-standing voting members of the board along with the power to potentially, arbitrarily add new voting members, comes only a year away from the TTCB scheduled elections.

This again can give the perception that these changes are being done to undermine the democratic and electoral process within the board, especially with no reasonable justification given or consultations held with zones and with the TTCUC, who are most impacted.”

The Central Zone release ended by again urging other zones of the TTCB, “to assess their impacts and do the same,” and reject the proposed amendments.