The fallout from the half-a-million dollars that is allegedly missing from the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) accounts continues to attract the attention of the sport's membership.
On Wednesday, Azim Bassarath, president of the TTCB, told reporters that the findings of the former treasurer Kiswah Chaitoo and his report to the TT Police Service Fraud Squad have affected the TTCB as it has lost all its sponsors. On the same day, members accused Bassarath of breaching the TTCB constitution, to deny Chaitoo a fair appeal.
The TTCB called a vote of No Confidence in Chaitoo, a forensic accountant on February 28, 2024. The motion was carried 35-12.
According to members who have reached out to Guardian Media Sports and spoke on the condition of anonymity, the president calling a special general meeting on April 17 to confirm the Minutes of February 28 was unconstitutional in every aspect.
Guardian Media Sport obtained two letters dated April 17, 2024, sent to the general secretary Altaf Baksh pointing to the alleged constitutional breaches.
One of the letters from North Zone Cricket Council of TTCB reads in part: "Based on Article 16 of the TTCB Constitution, a special general meeting can only be called based on three instances. The meeting agenda does not provide any specific reasoning based on the three instances mentioned in Article 16 of the TTCB Constitution.
The letter continued: "Confirmation of minutes of a special general meeting according to Article 16 (ii) (d) must be done at the next quarterly meeting (which has not been scheduled for the year 2024). Consequently, this meeting can be considered unconstitutional, and any decisions made during the meeting are subject to challenge."
The North Zone representatives did not attend the meeting to confirm their protest of the status of the meeting.
The second letter was from Richard Ramkissoon, the owner of reigning National League champion team Central Sports, who was dismissed by the Board on April 13, from the Premiership Committee for his criticisms of the Board's failure to honour an alleged promise to pay clubs a grant. His letter pointed to breaches of Article 16 of the constitution.
Ramkissoon, one of the five National League representatives, stated in part: "The constitution lays down strict guidelines to follow with respect to a Special General Meeting.
Article 16 Meetings: (ii) Special General Meeting (SGM); (a)The General Secretary must convene a Special General Meeting of the Board on receiving a requisition signed by a minimum of one quarter of the membership of the Board stating clearly the business to be discussed at the meeting. (b) Such Special General Meetings shall be called within 14 days of the receipt of such requisition. (c) In urgent cases the president may summon a Special General Meeting. (d) Minutes of a Special General Meeting shall be confirmed at the next Quarterly Meeting.
Ramkissoon's letter continued: "Having pursued the above section of the constitution Article 16 (ii) (d) clearly states that the Minutes of a Special General Meeting shall be confirmed at the next Quarterly Meeting."
Ramkissoon stated: "Having regard to the above section of the constitution it is my firm belief that this meeting is unconstitutional, and I am calling on the executive of the Board to immediately card a Quarterly meeting at the earliest time so that this issue and many other issues can be dealt with."
When contacted on the matter the Board's general secretary Baksh said that both letters were shared with the 32 members who attended Wednesday's meeting and the Minutes were confirmed without objection.
Baksh responded, "That Article 16- meetings and under subheading (ii) (c) in urgent cases the president may summon a Special General Meeting. The president in his opening remarks stated that the Supreme Appellate committee has requested that the special General meeting held on February 28, 2024 'Motion of No Confidence in the treasurer' should be confirmed. Therefore, it was with urgency that the president asked that this meeting be called."
Asked about Article 16 (ii) (d) Minutes of a Special General Meeting shall be confirmed at the next Quarterly Meeting, Baksh responded: "However, the matter as indicated was urgent and the president knowing that the matter had to be expedited as per the request from the appellate committee had to ensure that the minutes were confirmed."
A source close to the Board's executive who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the president could have simply called a constituted Quarterly meeting of the members and avoid this situation which will cause problems for the Board. There is still time for the president and the executive to honour the constitution since the hearing in Mr Chaitoo's appeal is set for May 6 and 7. Even Mr Chaitoo can challenge the legality of the Minutes when his matter is called."
The Source said, "Mr Chaitoo appealed the Board's No Confidence Motion between March 5 via his attorneys Dinesh Rambally and Stefan Ramkissoon with a 14-page notice to the Supreme Appellate Committee, and it took the president all of March and almost three weeks of April to now realise that the matter is urgent, seriously."
The Supreme Appellate Committee of the TTCB comprises Justice Prakash Moosai (Chairman), Noris Ferguson, Ammar Samaroo, Samuel Saunders, Rennie Gosine, Kent Chisayawan and Patsy Joseph.
The Source pointed out, "The AGM was on 9th December and those Minutes are also yet to be confirmed. Quarterly Meetings were to be held in January and April. None have occurred to date. The only meeting to occur this year is the 'Motion of No Confidence' in the Treasurer held on February 28. Under Article 16.01 (b) The minutes of the annual general meeting shall be confirmed at the first Quarterly meeting after the AGM, to date, no meeting has been called to confirm the AGM minutes either."