Sarwan under investigation by the ICC in match fixing allegations

West Indies batsman and former captain, Ramnaresh Sarwan, has been accused by the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) of the International Cricket Council of being engaged in match fixing. A source close to Sarwan has confirmed that the ACU informed Sarwan of their investigation immediately after the recent West Indies vs England World Cup match.

In cricketing circles for years Sarwan's relationship with a Guyanese businessman who owns a night club and bar in Scarborough, Ontario has been reason for suspicion. The owner of the night club is frequently seen with Sarwan and is known to travel with Sarwan on cricket tours. Sarwan often boasts that he owns the night club; but sources close to the businessman have often said that Sarwan never contributed any monies to the establishment of the night club known as "Windies"; but receives a share of the profits every month. Many persons in cricketing circles have often suspected the so called profits may have been derived from sources other than the night club.

As news of the investigation into the Sarwan spread in cricketing circles former and present West Indies players have expressed disgust and disappointment that Sarwan would undermine his team and jeopardize his own cricket career in such a reprehensible manner.

It appears that the investigation into the corrupt activities came to light during the recent 2011 World Cup in India/ Sri Lanka/ Bangladesh when suspicious activities and phone calls were observed and recorded from taps placed on Sarwan's phone.

It is unclear at this time whether the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has been officially informed of the investigations; with one knowledge source saying in the the investigations which led to Marlon Samuels being banned, the WICB was informed of the investigations at the same time that the player was initially informed.

This investigation comes at a time when Sarwan who was dropped from the West Indies Team for its tour of Sri Lanka in 2010/ 2011 had only just earned a recall to the West Indies Team.

Ramnarine damands larger share of Champions League money and threatens to strike if not satisfied

In an exact repeat of circumstances and events that took place in Guyana in August/ September 2010 following Guyana's qualification for the Airtel Champions' League; the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) is demanding more money for itself and members from Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) or it will refuse to permit the Trinidad and Tobago cricketers to sign participation contracts for the tournament. The Guyana Cricket Board was forced to obtain an injunction granted by Chief Justice Ian Chang to restrain WIPA's interference last year. TTCB members have privately expressed the view that it may be necessary for them to do the same to protect themselves.

Sources here in Trinidad have confirmed that at the core of the dispute between the TTCB and WIPA is the payment and share allocation of the prize monies and participation fee to the TTCB by the Airtel Champions League. Dinanath Ramnarine, the Chief Executive of WIPA has claimed that his sister company West Indies Players Management Company Limited (WIPMACOL) owns the image and playing rights of the Trinidad cricketers to the exclusion of the players themselves and even if the players agree to play they cannot play without his consent. Of course, WIPA and WIPMACOL's interest in the amount paid to the players is because the two companies extract 5% and 15% respectively from each player as fees. It was common knowledge that when Guyana had qualified for the Airtel Champions League 2010 WIPMACOL's Secretary was seeking to actively negotiate a sponsorship deal for the Guyana Cricket Team, with the sponsor being Venky's (an Indian fast food brand). However, it was a deal in which WIPMACOL was seeking in excess of  US$100,000 as a agency fee with the Guyana Cricket Board being paid less than US$100,000 as sponsorship fees.

Ramnarine when contacted via telephone last night would not elaborate on the full nature of the dispute between WIPA and TTCB but said "the players have a right to a bigger share of the money; its them who playing not the Board". When asked if it was not unfair for the TTCB to pay the 15 players such high fees when cricket development in Trinidad and Tobago amongst the younger cricketers and other development projects which would benefit a much wider cross section of cricketers; Ramnarine replied "its not the other cricketers that playing; its this 15 and they should be the ones to reap the rewards". Ramnarine's comments have drawn hostile criticism from some quarters in Trinidad cricket who has said that "this policy of paying some of the players exorbitant fees when the development of youngsters is sacrificed must stop".

It must be noted as was expressed by the Chief Justice of Guyana when dealing a similar situation in Guyana last year said that he found it strange that the entire cricketing world had agreed with the Airtel Champions League the allocation of prize and participation money but it was only that players in the West Indies were the only ones demanding more money. Indeed the Airtel Champions League participation contracts provide for the distribution of prize monies with 50% going to the players and 50% to the team Board; and the participation fee to be paid to the Board from which the team originates. This  is accepted by every other team and Board participating in the Airtel Champions League it is only here in the West Indies that Ramnarine seeks to incite players that they should be paid more and demand a bigger share of the monies on offer.

One cricket enthusiast commented that such greed by the cricketers in the Region must come to an end; having recently tumbled out of the 2011 World Cup and not winning against top teams; its time for more money to be distributed in cricket development in the region and the West Indian players should now be paid based on performance. Many in the Region feel that it is Ramnarine's influence of greed that has led the cricketers in the Region to keep demanding more money for everything. Ramnarine is well known for refusing to accept performance based pay for his members preferring to take as much as he can whether they perform or not; and as history has shown that more often than not they have failed to perform.

It is understood that the TTCB has already consulted its legal advisers and are in the process of contacting Sanjay Datadin and Sir Fenton Ramsahoye (the lawyers employed by the Guyana Cricket Board to obtain the injunction against WIPA last year) to represent the TTCB in this matter. 

Ramnarine said he is unafraid of Court proceedings as he has ways of dealing with that and his lawyers were ready. In relation to the Guyana Court matter Ramnarine said that he had the Guyana Court matter under control as his chosen candidate in the Guyana Cricket Board elections Mr. Bissoondyal had assured him that once he is elected he will "instruct that the Court matter be withdrawn against WIPA and WIPMACOL".

Players angry that management of WIPA and WIPMACOL shrouded in secrecy

The legality of the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) and the West Indies Player Management Company Limited (WIPMACOL) have been questioned by regional cricketers. It has been confirmed that players who play regional cricket for the Windward Islands Cricket Team, The Leeward Islands Cricket Team and the Combined Campuses Cricket Team have questioned the legality of WIPA and WIPMACOL. WIPA is the players' union, while WIPMACOL is an offshore company incorporated in St. Lucia and functions as a sports management entity and owns the image and playing rights of all of WIPA's members.

This players question how the office bearers are elected to WIPA saying that elections are held "in secret"; and that members of WIPA who WIPA CEO Dinanath Ramnarine consider to be unsuitable are not even told of the elections; and no one is permitted to nominate any other person. Additionally, it has been questioned who are the true office bearers of WIPA and how is it that the Chief Executive Officer is elected or appointed. The players are complaining because it it apparent that Ramnarine is supported only by some members of WIPA and has ignored the hardships facing the full membership in favour of attending to the needs of a few players who he see as "cash cows". West Indies middle order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan who is an executive member has denied that WIPA has corporate sponsors; and said if that is true he would not agree with that. Speaking from the West Indies Team hotel in India Sarwan said that he was not sure about the day to day running of WIPA since that was "Ramnarine's business". He however admitted that WIPA and WIPMACOL are both managed and run by Ramnarine. 

The issue of the management and control of WIPA and WIPMACOL arose in arbitration proceedings between WIPA and WIPMACOL before the agreed arbitrator the Honourable Justice Michael De La Bastide, the current President of the Caribbean Court of Justice where he questioned who were the principals behind the two organisations and was informed by Ramnarine that they were independent organisations. When De La Bastide asked for the registered officers of the two organisations he learnt that Ramnarine was a key office holder in both; but a mere two weeks later Ramnarine produced documents to show the the office bearers were completely different. The arbitrator questioned how it was that Ramnarine could contend that the two organisations were independent of his control when in two weeks he had reshuffled the Board of Directors of BOTH organisations. The arbitration continues.

However, of real concern to the regional cricketers who wish not to be named, the issue of how Ramnarine is elected and the transparency of the electoral process is being questioned. WIPA has never made public or disclosed the date and voting details at any elections; instead the results are announced from time to time and accepted because none of the players really appreciate what is going on at WIPA. Ramnarine is the self appointed CEO of WIPA and has incorporated the entity in Trinidad and Tobago but has refused to register WIPA in any of the other territories of the West Indies because regulatory control in other countries would require details which he is unwilling to make public. One legal expert said it was for the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the individual regional Boards to insist on compliance with the local law in each territory. "It is patently unfair for any public body to function in such secrecy and such a haphazard manner" he said. The lawyer continued; that "since WIPA was holding itself out as a representative of the West Indian players the WICB should demand the details of all elections held since it is the WICB that pays players and not WIPA they would be entitled to inquire into the entity claiming to be a representative of the players. Additionally, a lawyer in Guyana attached tot he Attorney General's department who wished not to be named said that "the laws of Guyana specifically provide for the furnishing of details of management and elections by every union and even further the deduction of union dues from the salaries of workers is not permitted in Guyana. He went on to say if WICB was deducting the union fees due to WIPA from Guyanese players that would be "contrary to Guyana law".

When asked for a comment via email Ramnarine refused to answer any questions about the corporate structure or management of WIPA or WIPMACOL. He said "that is my business and the business of the West Indian players; not the public". When telephoned and confronted with the assertion that WIPA was a public body and therefore amenable to the laws which apply to every public body Ramnarine said he was "not going to answer anything over the phone". 

Regional players are unhappy that WIPA makes deals with sponsors which do not benefit them and they are unable to make any arrangements with sponsors independently because Ramnarine has threatened to sue any player who attempts that; always asserting that he owns their image and sporting rights.

Guyana Cricket Board Official Locked-Up for Drunken Disorderly Behaviour

Mr. Bissoondyal Singh, leader of one faction of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) confirmed today that the vice-president of his faction Mr. Prettipaul Jaigobin was locked up since Friday night for driving drunk and behaving in a manner such as to be a public nuisance. 

Confirmed reports reaching the Cricket Crusader indicate that on Friday night Jaigobin was driving on the wrong side of the road in Railway Embankment Road in the vicinity of Ogle, East Coast Demerara when President of Guyana Bharrat Jagdeo was traveling in the other direction. Reports are that Jaigobin refused to heed the sirens of President Jagdeo's outriders and was driving on the wrong side of the road approaching the President's vehicles. When he was forcibly stopped by the President's Security Personnel he was found to behind the driving wheel drunk and had soiled himself. When the President's security personnel removed him from his vehicle Jaigobin was heard saying loudly that he is the President's "buddy friend" and that Minister of Finance Ashni Singh depended upon his expertise to make decisions; "Ashni Singh cannot make a decision without consulting me" he reportedly said. Jaigobin was slurring his speech and was unable to stand properly but the President's Security Personnel were reluctant to touch him because he had shat himself and was urinating himself as he was standing next to his vehicle. He was so intoxicated he had lost control of his bodily functions.

One onlooker to the entire incident said "da man nasty, and he so drunk he coulda kill somebody pun this road here tonight". The onlooker who has a small stall by the roadside said this is not the first time he saw Jaigobin is a drunken state driving along the Railway Embankment Road; "he does do this regula; this is he style ... he does stop by the shop right deh [points to a local rum shop] and drink steady". The onlooker said on many occasions Jaigobin would come to the nearby shop already drunk but would still go inside and drink even more.

Jaigobin in addition to being the Vice-President of the Bissoondyal faction of the Demerara Cricket Board is also the Assistant Treasurer of the Guyana Cricket Board and a senior functionary at the Ministry of Finance. He was assaulted several months ago with acid in the East Coast Demerara region but was too drunk at that time identify his assailants. It has long been rumoured that his acid-assault was as a result of his offensive drunken behaviour towards females in the liquor establishments which he would usually patronise along the East Coast.

Bissoondyal directs the Chairman of Selectors to pick "his" Guyana Team

Sources in Guyana confirmed that embattled cricket administrator Bissoondyal Singh boasted yesterday at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) pavilion that he was going to "ensure a Guyana [Cricket] Team of his choice would be selected". His comments were made to all and sundry at the GCC pavilion bar where he was lamenting the lack of talent of GCC and Guyana player Vishal Singh. Bissoondyal said "Vishal doesn't deserve a place in the Guyana team" he continued "you see how he 'throw away' against the short ball today? He can't bat!". Bissoondyal was making reference to Vishal Singh's hurried evasive action taken to fend off a short pitched ball from Esau Crandon in the Guyana Cricket Team trials at the GGC  cricket ground Bourda. One onlooker who was there confirmed that Vishal Singh's evasive fending off resulted in him popping the ball up to be out caught and bowled. A club member in attendance confirmed that Bissoondyal was saying that now that he had control of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) with Roger Harper's recent re-election as President of the GCA he was going to make sure that GCC and Demerara Cricket Club players were not on the Guyana Team. One observer noted that both of those clubs voted to support Roger Harper's adversary at the recent GCA elections.

A person who was present at the GCC pavilion confirmed that Bissoondyal was boasting that he was going to "have to tell [Claude} Raphael [Chairman of Selectors] what to do". Bissoondyal made it clear that Rafael was going to have to listen to his his opinion if he wasted to remain Chairman of Selectors of the Guyana Cricket Team. Bissoondyal said further that at the moment Raphael was on a "long leash" but that would soon change. "Picking teams is about picking who you want .... nothing else" Bissoondyal stated and he said it was time that those who supported his election campaign get some benefits. 

When contacted this morning Bissoondyal said he was "simply stating his opinion on a cricketer"; he was not judging the club from which the player came. When asked further if he was going to dictate team selection he said he had "no comment" at this time but if questions were submitted to him in writing he would respond. Bissoondyal did however mention that as the leader of one faction of the Demerara Cricket Board he though he was entitled to say who he thought should play for Guyana. He said Raphael was unfortunately "influenced by race" on occasion and "nobody complained about that; so he didn't see why if he wanted to select players from clubs that support him that should be a problem". He said he had no difficulty on being quoted on his statements "once you report exactly" what was said.

On a separate issue, unconfirmed reports from Guyana indicate that former Test Cricketer and coach Roger Harper has been sued in the Guyana Courts for libelous statements made against several persons involved in cricket. More to follow on that story as details unfold.